Antidiabetic efficacy of leaf extracts of Piper betle L. in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic rats: An in vivo model

Piper betle L. is widely used in traditional medicine to treat upper respiratory diseases, bad breath, stomachalgia, and rheumatism.The present study focused on the antidiabetic potential of the methanolic leaf extracts of betel vine cultivars, using the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats model.Methanolic leaf extract of Swarna Kapoori (MESK) and Halisahar Sanchi (MEHS) with a dosage of 200 mg/kg b.w was administered to the streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic Wister albino rats, for twenty-eight days.In vivo analyses on changes in the hypoglycemic effects, fluctuations in body weight, lipid profile, hematological indicators, biochemical markers, hormonal modulations, and histopathological observations were carried out.Evaluation of the antidiabetic potential of the methanolic leaf extract of Swarna Kapoori (MESK) and methanolic leaf extract of Halisahar Sanchi (MEHS) revealed marked alterations such as a significant decrease in the levels of blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and significant increase was noted in the serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL), counts of hemoglobin, PCV, RBC, WBC, platelets and other blood indices.Examination of both leaf extracts indicated a remarkable change in diabetic attributes such as a decrease in the level of liver enzymes, renal functional markers, insulin, and cortisol.Moreover, histopathological observations on the pancreas, hepatocytes, and renal cells revealed, a significant retrieval from an impairment, endorsing the favorable evidence obtained through biochemical findings.The investigation concluded that the methanolic leaf extracts of both Swarna Kapoori and Halisahar Sanchi cultivars exhibited antidiabetic properties, with MESK proving to be the most effective.