OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, oxidative stress, insulin resistance and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) formation of hexane extract from Piper auritum.

METHODS

The streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats were treated with the hexane extract from Piper auritum leaves for 28 days and a set of biochemical parameters were studied including glucose level, total cholesterol, triglycerides, lipid peroxidation, liver and muscle glycogen, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. The liver function was observed by determining glucose-6-phosphatase, glucokinase and hexokinase activities, and the effect of the hexane extract on insulin level and protein glycation.

RESULTS

There was a significant increase in blood glucose level (P<0.05) in diabetic rats after 24 h of STZ injection. There was a significantly decreased in blood glucose in diabetic rats with hexane extract treatment (P<0.05). The serum biochemical parameters, hepatic enzymes, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, glycosylated hemoglobin, AGEs, and insulin level (P<0.01 or P<0.05) were restored to normal levels in STZ-diabetic rats treated with hexane extract.

CONCLUSIONS

The hexane extract from Piper auritum leaves can efficiently inhibit insulin resistance, AGEs formation, improvement of renal function, lipid abnormalities and oxidative stress, indicating that its therapeutic properties may be due to the interaction of hexane extract components with multiple targets involved in diabetes pathogenesis.