Sub-acute antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic activity of the hexane extract of a polyherbal mixture in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

A folksy polyherbal remedy used in the traditional medicine system made of seeds of Piper nigrum L., leaves of Murraya koenigii L. Sprengel., cloves of Allium sativum L. and dried fruit rinds of Garcinia quaesita Pierre is considered as an efficient treatment for dyslipidaemia associated with diabetes mellitus by Ayurvedic medical practitioners in Sri Lanka. The effect of antihyperlipidemic and antihyperglycemic potential of the hexane extract (25 mg kg^-1) of the aforementioned polyherbal mixture during 30 days treatment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was investigated. The oral administration of the hexane extract showed significant reduction of the glycated hemoglobin level (29.6%) and the fasting serum glucose concentration (34.3%) in addition to significant enhancement of the serum insulin (61.1%) in diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The hexane extract treated group showed significant antihyperlipidemic activity as evidenced by the reduction in serum total cholesterol (55.8%), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (75.0%), triglycerides (69.0%) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (55.8%) in diabetic rats (p < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrated that the hexane extract of the polyherbal mixture possessed beneficial response on lipid and glycemic parameters, thus exhibiting its usefulness in developing a novel antihyperglycemic agent targeting the management of dyslipidemia associated the diabetes mellitus.