BACKGROUND

"Urtica pilulifera has been traditionally used in Egyptian system as an herbal remedy to be a diuretic, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hemostatic, antidandruff and astringent"

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the potential effects of ethyl acetate (EA), chloroform (CHLOR) and hexane (HEXA) extracts of Urtica piluliferaas oral anti-diabetic agents as well as to evaluate their possible anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in type 2 diabetic rat model.

METHODS

Type 2 diabetes was induced by a high fat diet and low dose streptozotocin (STZ). Diabetic adult male albino rats were allocated into groups and treated according to the following schedule; Pioglitazone HCL (PIO), EA, CHLOR and HEXA extracts of Urtica pilulifera at two doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg were used. In addition, a normal control group and a diabetic control one were used for comparison. Blood glucose, insulin resistance, antioxidant enzymes, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as well as C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-α levels were evaluated.

RESULTS

EA and CHLOR extracts of Urtica pilulifera exhibited a significant hypoglycemia associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in diabetic rats; however, HEXA extract showed no beneficial effect. These activities are responsible, at least partly, for improvements that have been seen in hyperglycemia and insulin resistance of diabetic rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results encourage the traditional use of Urtica pilulifera extract as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent as an additional therapy of diabetes.