A Study on Potential Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Lepidium Sativum (Garden Cress) in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Lepidium sativum (Garden cress) seed powder (3.0g/kg) was evaluated on diabetes and oxidative stress built up in alloxan induced diabetic male Wistar rats. Experimental animals were divided into six groups comprising of six animals each. Animals were supplemented with isoenergic diets (~3600) for a period of 45 days. Hyperlipidemia was induced by feeding high fat high cholesterol diet and diabetes was induced by single injection of alloxan (150mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally. High fat feeding and alloxan induced diabetes resulted in marked alterations in blood glucose, lipid profile and antioxidant status in blood serum and hepatic tissue of albino rats. Garden cress treated rats showed a significant decrease (p≤ 0.05) in fasting blood glucose levels (FBG); glycosylated haemoglobin (Hb A1C %); lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and lipoprotein fractions (Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C)) with a significant increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (HDL-C). A significant increase (p≤0.05) in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzyme activity was also observed in diabetic control and HFHC diet fed experimental rats. Lepidium sativum neutralized the effect and restored the levels. Lepidium sativum seed powder thus lends credence for the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus and related complications. Key words: Lepidium Sativum, Garden Cress, Alloxan, Antihyperglycaemic, Antihyperlipidemic, Oxidative stress, Blood glucose, Lipid peroxidation