Protective effects of Ficus carica leaves on glucose and lipids levels, carbohydrate metabolism enzymes and β-cells in type 2 diabetic rats

Abstract

Context: The decoctions of Ficus carica Linn. (Moraceae) leaves are used in the folklore treatment of diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of F. carica on glucose and lipids levels, carbohydrate metabolism enzymes and β-cells protective effects in type 2 diabetes.

Material and methods: Diabetes was induced in 15 days high-fat diet (HFD)-fed Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (40 mg/kg). The ethyl acetate extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) of F. carica leaves was administered for 28 days. Oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) and intraperitoneal insulin tolerance tests (ITT) were evaluated on 15th and 25th days, respectively.

Results: The ethyl acetate extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) of n F. carica leaves showed significant effect (p < 0.005) in the levels of blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), body weight and hepatic glycogen. In OGTT, F. carica (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.005) detained the increase in blood glucose levels at 60 and 120 min and in ITT, F. carica enhanced the glucose utilization significantly (p < 0.005) over 30 and 60 min compared to diabetic control. Further, the altered activities of key carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and hexokinase in the liver tissue of diabetic rats were significantly (p < 0.005) reverted to near normal levels upon treatment with F. carica. Immumohistochemical studies of islets substantiated the cytoprotective effect on pancreatic β-cells.

Discussion and conclusions: F. carica leaves exerted significant effect on carbohydrate metabolism enzymes with promising hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities in type 2 diabetic rats.

Keywords:

• Ficusin
• hypolipidemic
• hypoglycemic

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for its funding of this research through the Research Group project No RGP-VPP-213

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for its funding of this research through the Research Group project No RGP-213.