Influence of Casearia esculenta root extract on protein metabolism and marker enzymes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The present study investigated the possible protective effects of Casearia esculenta root extract on certain biochemical markers in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. STZ treatment (50 mg/kg, ip) caused a hyperglycemic state, that led to various physiological and biochemical alterations. Blood levels of glucose, urea, uric acid and creatinine, plasma levels of albumin and albumin/globulin ratio and the activities of diagnostic marker enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) in plasma, liver and kidney were markedly altered in STZ diabetic rats. Oral administration of C esculenta (200 and 300 mg/kg) for 45 days restored all these biochemical parameters to near normal levels. Thus, the present results have shown that C esculenta root extract has the antihyperglycemic effect and consequently may alleviate liver and renal damage associated with STZ-induced diabetes in rats.