Hypoglycemic and Antioxidant Effect of Morus alba L. Stem Bark Extracts in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats

The present study aims to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of Morus alba L. stem bark extract in experimental model of diabetes. The animals were divided into six groups as: control group (I); pathogenic control group (II) injected intravenously (i.v.) with single dose of STZ (60 mg/kg); morus alba stem bark extract (group-III; 200 mg/kg), and group-IV (400 mg/kg); group-V animals treated with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg, p.o.) following STZ treatment; group-VI, animals treated with bark extract per se (400 mg/kg). The results of this study showed a significant increase in lipid peroxidation, blood glucose level, glycosylated heamoglobin level, and reduction in glutathione and insulin level after STZ administration. These parameters were significantly (p<0.05) reversed by extracts dose dependently. The biochemical findings were also supported by histopathological studies of pancreas where STZ produced histological changes in pancreas and treatment with Morus alba stem bark extract restored these changes. Thus, we conclude that Morus alba stem bark extracts produced significant antidiabetic and antioxidant effect which might be due to the presence of bioactive components such as phenolic and flavonoid content in the extract. The study warrant the need for further evaluated in certain other models of diabetes