Effects of ethanol, methanol and n-hexane leaf and fruit extracts of kigelia africana on some oxidative and biochemical parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p>Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder resulting from a defect in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Insulin deficiency in turn leads to chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism (Kumar <em>et al</em>., 2011).</p><p>During diabetes, failure of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by fat and muscle cause glucose concentration in the blood to remain high, consequently glucose uptake by insulin-independent tissue increases. Increased glucose flux both enhances oxidant production and impairs antioxidant defenses by multiple interacting non-enzymatic, enzymatic and mitochondrial pathways (Klotz 2002; Mehta <em>et al</em>., 2006). These include activation of protein kinase C isoforms (Inoguchi <em>et al.,</em>&nbsp;2000), increased hexosamine pathway (Kaneto <em>et al</em>., 2001), glucose autoxidation (Brownlee, 2001), increased methylglyoxal and advanced glycation end-product (AGEs) formation (Thornalley, 1998) as well as increased polyol pathway flux ( Lee and Chung, 1999). These seemingly different mechanisms are the results of a single process-that is, overproduction of superoxide by the mitochondrial electron transport system (Tushuizen <em>et al.,</em>&nbsp;2005). This hyperglycaemia-induced oxidative stress ultimately results in modification of intracellular proteins resulting in an altered function and DNA damage, activation of the cellular transcription (NFK B), causing abnormal changes in gene expression, decreased production of nitric oxide, and increased expression of cytokines, growth factors and pro-coagulant and pro-inflammatory molecules (Palmer <em>et al</em>., 1988; Evans <em>et al</em>., 2002; Klotz, 2002; Taniyama and Griendling, 2003). Oxidative stress is responsible for molecular and cellular tissue damage in a wide spectrum of human diseases (Halliwell, 1994), amongst which is diabetes mellitus. Diabetes produces disturbances of lipid profiles, especially an increased susceptibility to lipid peroxidation (Lyons, 1991), which is responsible for increased incidence of atherosclerosis (Guigliano <em>et al.,</em>1996), a major complication of diabetes mellitus . An enhanced oxidative stress has been observed in these patients as indicated by increased free radical production, lipid peroxidation and diminished antioxidant status (Baynes, 1991).</p> <br><p></p>