Exploration of Antidiabetic Activity of Stephania japonica Leaf Extract in Alloxan-Induced Swiss Albino Diabetic Mice

Aims: Presently the medicinal world is rapidly turning more on the therapeutic health benefits of natural product and medicinal plants in the management of major crucial disease and their complications. Medicinal plant, Stephania japonica has been studied for exploring antidiabetic potentiality as an alternative source of medicine against the global threat of Diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: The extraction of S. japonica leaf was carried out by acetone and ethanol. Phytochemical screening and quantitative analysis of S. japonica leaf extracts were evaluated through chemically forming characterized color formation and calibration method respectively, by using standard reference substances (ascorbic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin) to assess the probable compounds present in the extract. Anti-diabetic potentiality of highest phytochemicals containing two extracts were investigated in in vitro as a ⍺-amylase inhibitors and in vivo through alloxan-induced Swiss albino diabetes mice model.

Results: Alkaloids, carbohydrates, steroids, flavonoids, resins, saponins, tannins and coumarins were present in the leaf extracts. The estimated amount of total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols and proanthrocyanidins contents of acetone and ethanol extract were 92.12±0.64 and 56.54±1.05 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/gm of dry extract, 66.02±1.42 and 46.17±0.54 mg of catechin equivalent (CAE)/gm of dry extract, 7.05±0.108 and 5.26±0.083 mg of quercetin equivalent (QUE)/gm of dry extract, 35.19±0.67 and 9.55±1.11 mg CAE/gm of dry extract, respectively. In 3, 5-dinitrosalicylic acid method, acetone and ethanol extract showed α-amylase inhibition of 51.02% and 46.62%, respectively at the concentration of 1000 µg/mL whereas in starch iodine color assay, acetone and ethanol extract showed inhibition of 57.32% and 52.12%, respectively at the concentration of 800 µg/mL. In contrast, both of the leaf extracts significantly (p<0.05 to p<0.001) improved the lipid profile parameters, blood glucose level and serum hepatic marker proteins in alloxan-induced diabetic mice.

Conclusion: The present study strongly concluded that S. japonica leaf extracts process potent antidiabetic potentiality that might be significance for the management of diabetes and its complications.