Pharmacological Effects of Pimpinella tirupatiensis on Altered Urea Cycle and Liver Function Markers in Diabetic Rats

Recent studies are emphasizing on cure and or prevent the diabetes-associated complications by using herbal medicines, since complications are increasing around the world. The present study was aimed to investigate the pharmacological efficacies of Pimpinella tirupatiensis (Pt) extracts against diabetes-associated altered urea cycle and liver function markers. In this study, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) injection (40 mg kg-1 b.wt.) in rats, and treated with P. tirupatiensis extracts for 30 days (750 mg kg-1 b.wt. orally). The significant (p<0.01) decrease in body weights, elevated serum glucose, urea, uric acid and creatinine levels along with elevated Aspartate amino transferase (AST) and Alanine amino transferase (ALT) activities were observed in diabetic rats. Interestingly, diabetic rats treated with P. tirupatiensis aqueous extracts showed significantly (p<0.01) lowered serum glucose levels and regained body weights compared to untreated diabetic rats. Elevated urea and uric acid contents were also significantly (p<0.01) controlled by P. tirupatiensis, which were similar to the standard anti-diabetic drug glibenclamide treatment. Furthermore, increased both AST and ALT activities were attenuated by P. tirupatiensis, which indicates diabetes-induced adverse effects on liver function markers were alleviated. These results clearly demonstrating that increased hostile milieu in urea cycle and liver function markers under diabetic condition could be reversed by P. tirupatiensis treatment. This study suggests that P. tirupatiensis aqueous extracts may be used as anti-diabetic remedy, however further confirmatory studies are necessary.