Background: The drugs which are used for curing diabetes caused adverse effects and complications to liver and kidney functions. Besides the side effects of drugs, no drug completely maintained and controlled the complications of diabetes. Due to the undesired side effects and partially compensatory treatments for metabolic disorders demands to formulate latest plant based therapies for the treatment of diabetes. There is also a need to establish the treatment which avoids the use of insulin injection.
C. roseus possessed anti-microbial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer antiviral and anti-hyperglycemic activities. The present study will be conducted to evaluate the change in hematological parameters and immunological response by the administration of aqueous extract of C. roseus leaves and probiotic in AIDR.
Hypothesis: It was assumed that aqueous extract of C. roseus and probiotic would improve the hematological profile and stimulate the immune response in diabetic rats.
Methodology: Twenty adult healthy rats (weighing 164-278g) were selected for experimental study. The rats were housed in clean metallic cages and divided in to four groups A, B, C and D. Five male rats were kept in Group A and B separately. Four female rats were kept in Group B and C separately. All the rats in each group is weighed and labeled. Rats were kept maintained under control environmental conditions of 24±5 ºC with 40-50% humidity, 12 hours light and dark photoperiod. Animals had free access to standard diet and water for the experimental trial of 21 days. Animal were fed with plane diet no. 25 used for rodents. Alloxan was used as a diabetogenic compound in a single dose of 150 mg/kg BW. Rats were fasted for12 hours, allowing only water access prior to the alloxan injection. After the estimation of fasting blood glucose the rats were rendered diabetic by injecting freshly prepared solution of alloxan (dissolving 600mg alloxan/ 4ml physiological saline) according to average body weight of each group which was calculated earlier. After 4 days of alloxan injection blood samples were obtained from tail vein of rat and hyperglycemia was confirmed by measuring fasting blood glucose level with glucometer. Rats with fasting blood glucose level higher than 150 mg/dl were considered as diabetic and used for further studies in present investigation. Blood samples were collected from the rats after 21 days of experimental trial. Rats were anaesthetized with chloroform in glass desiccators and blood sample was obtained through cardiac puncture using hypodermic needle and syringe. Blood samples were collected in EDTA containing vacutanors labeled with groups. 1.0 micro liter blood was separated from each group blood samples for the estimation of hematological parameters. Blood samples were then centrifuged at 3500 x g for 10 minutes to separate serum. Collected serum samples were then stored in labeled eppendrof at -20OC for further serological analysis.
Results: In our study the feed intake was not significantly influenced in treatment groups. But the body weights were significantly different in treatment groups as compared to treatment group. In blood biochemical analysis it was revealed that serum total protein level was significantly increased in group B and group C. Whereas serum albumin concentrations were not vary significantly among groups. However serum globulin level showed a trend towards significancy. The hematologic parameters were not affected by C. roseus and probiotic supplementation alone or in combination. The skin response to DNCB challenge also did not show significant results, which indicated that immune response was not varying among groups.
Conclusion: It is concluded from the results of present investigation that C. roseus and probiotic alone or in combination improved the body weight abnormality associated with diabetes but did not affect the feed intake. C. roseus was more effective in relation to body weight changes. However, C. roseus and probiotic both significantly increased the serum total protein and albumin level. Furthermore there were no significant effects showed by C. roseus and probiotic on immune response.