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Planta Med 2014; 80(08/09): 622-629
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1368457
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Aqueous Extract of Unfermented Honeybush (Cyclopia maculata) Attenuates STZ-induced Diabetes and β-cell Cytotoxicity

Nireshni Chellan
1   Diabetes Discovery Platform, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
3   Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
,
Elizabeth Joubert
2   Post-Harvest and Wine Technology Division, Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Infruitec-Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch, South Africa
4   Department of Food Science, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
,
Hans Strijdom
3   Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
,
Candice Roux
1   Diabetes Discovery Platform, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
,
Johan Louw
1   Diabetes Discovery Platform, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
,
Christo J. F. Muller
1   Diabetes Discovery Platform, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, South Africa
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 11 February 2014
revised 10 April 2014

accepted 14 April 2014

Publication Date:
22 May 2014 (online)

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Abstract

New strategies, which include β-cell protection, are required in the treatment of T2D, as current drugs demonstrate little or no capacity to directly protect the vulnerable β-cell against diabetes-induced cytotoxicity. In this study we investigated the ameliorative effect of pre-treatment with an aqueous extract of unfermented Cyclopia maculata (honeybush) on STZ-induced diabetes and pancreatic β-cell cytotoxicity in Wistar rats after demonstrating a protective effect in vitro in RIN-5F cells. The amelioration of STZ-induced diabetes was seen in the reduction of the area under the curve, determined by the oral glucose tolerance test, as well as fasting glucose levels in extract-treated rats. Pre-treatment with extract also improved serum triglyceride levels and the glucose-to-insulin ratio. Pre-treatment with the extract or the drug, metformin, increased the β-cell area in islets, with a concomitant increase in β-cell proliferation at the higher extract dose (300 mg/kg/d), but not the lower dose (30 mg/kg/d). Subsequently, the in vitro tritiated thymidine incorporation assay showed that the extract was not mitogenic in RIN-5F cells. STZ-induced elevation of plasma nitrite levels was reduced in extract-treated rats, but no changes were observed in their serum catalase, serum glutathione, liver lipid peroxidation and liver nitrotyrosine levels. Pre-treating the rats with extract ameliorated the diabetic effect of STZ in Wistar rats, with evidence of pancreatic β-cells protection, attributed to the presence of high levels of antioxidants such as the xanthones, mangiferin and isomangiferin.

Key words

Cyclopia maculata - Fabaceae - mangiferin - diabetes - streptozotocin - β-cell - glucose tolerance
 

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