Comparison of the Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic and Hepatoprotective Effects of Asparagus racemosus Linn. in Combination with Gliclazide and Pioglitazone on Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

In recent years, the popularity of medicinal plants as a remedy has been increased manifold due to having minimal adverse effects. The current study aimed to compare the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of the ethanolic extract of Asparagus racemosus (EEAR) Linn. alone and combinedly with conventional antidiabetic agents (gliclazide and pioglitazone) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Wister albino rats by the administration of single intra-peritoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate (120 mg/kg b.w.). Effect of oral administration of two different doses of EEAR (200 and 400 mg/kg b.w.), gliclazide (10 mg/kg b.w.) and pioglitazone (10 mg/70kg/b.w.) alone for 2 weeks and a combination of EEAR (200 mg/kg b.w.) with either gliclazide (10 mg/kg b.w.) or pioglitazone (10 mg/70kg/b.w.) for 2 weeks were examined on hypoglycemic activity on 0th, 5th, 10th and 14th day of treatment. After 2 weeks of treatment, hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects were estimated by serum biochemical markers such as total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate trans-aminases (SGPT) and total protein (TP) with the help of commercially available kits. The survival rate, body weight and organ weight were also measured. Alloxan treatment resulted in persistent hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver dysfunction in rats. Treatment with EEAR at different doses improved hyperglycemia significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001; p < 0.05, p < 0.01; p < 0.05) by reducing the blood glucose levels in rats on 10th and 14th day of treatment in a dose-dependent mood when compared to the disease control rats, gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats. The combination therapy significantly (p < 0.001; p < 0.01, p < 0.001; p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001) promoted the glucose-lowering activity on 5th, 10th and 14th day of treatment as compared to that of disease control rats, gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats. Proposed adjunct therapy also markedly (p < 0.001; p < 0.01, p < 0.001) improved serum TG, HDL and LDL level with insignificant change in VLDL and TC level while comparing with groups receiving gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats. Administration of different doses of EEAR markedly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001; p < 0.05, p < 0.01; p < 0.05) reduced the activity of TC, TG, LDL, VLDL and HDL cholesterol levels in a dose-dependent approach with respect to that of gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats. The effect of combination therapy significantly (p < 0.001; p < 0.001; p < 0.01, p < 0.001) decreased the SGOT, SGPT and TP hepatic enzyme levels when compared to disease control rats, gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats indicated improvement in liver dysfunctions. Administration of different doses of EEAR noticeably (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001; p < 0.05, p < 0.01; p < 0.05, p < 0.01) reduced the liver enzymes level including SGOT, SGPT and TP in a dose-dependent manner as compared to the disease control rats, gliclazide treated rats and pioglitazone treated rats. The maximum survival rate (100%) was observed in rats of combination treated rats. No significant changes in the body weight and organ weight to body weight ratio were observed except the groups that were given combined therapy showed improvement in the liver and pancreas weight. Our study suggests that the EEAR potentiates the activity of gliclazide and pioglitazone in controlling blood glucose levels, modifies the lipid profile and improves in liver dysfunction on alloxan-induced diabetic rats.