Modification of Lipid Peroxidation and Oxidative Stress In Hepatocytes of Diabetic Rats Treated with Root Extract of Sarcocephalus latifolius and Daniella oliveri

Increased oxidative stress and lipid disorders may exacerbate complications of diabetes mellitus. This study, therefore was designed to evaluate the effect of aqueous root extract of Sarcocephalus latifolius and Daniella oliveri (SDAE) on oxidative strees and lipid peroxidation in non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The alloxan (65mg/kg) induced diabetic rats were treated in 12-h cycles for 3 weeks with 250mg/kg of the extract and glibenclamide (5mg/kg); while the non-diabetic control rats received distilled water. The results indicated that hepatic catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly increased in the diabetic animals (p<0.05) for both activities. The extract significantly reduced catalase activity (p<0.05) but non-significantly reversed the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity observed in diabetic liver tissues. However, glibenclamide treatement showed slight modification in the changes observed in diabetic liver tissues. A significant increase in MDA content and decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) was observed in the hepatocytes of the diabetic untreated rats. The diabetic induced changes in both MDA and GSH were distinctly reversed by the extract. The study concluded that the combined root extract reversed diabetes - induced oxidative changes in the hepatocytes, thus suggesting its use for the management of diabetic complications