Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants

| Peer-Reviewed |

Metabolic Effects of Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) Tincture and Metformin in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats

Received: 30 October 2016    Accepted: 25 November 2016    Published: 11 January 2017
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

The interest in the preclinical studies of the efficacy and safety of herbal drugs combinations with antidiabetic medicines increases. Aegopodium podagraria L. (goutweed) is a plant widely used in traditional medicine. The tincture obtained from its aerial part is characterized by antihyperglycemic, lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects and is able to partially increase the efficacy of metformin in the animals receiving dexamethasone (permissive effect in regard to glucose and lipid metabolism normalization). The objective of this study is to determine the influence of goutweed tincture combined with metformin on protein and purine metabolism as well as the state of liver in dexamethasone-treated rats. The animals were divided into 5 groups as follows: intact control, dexamethasone (untreated), dexamethasone + metformin, 50 mg/kg; dexamethasone + A. podagraria tincture, 1 ml/kg intragastrically; dexamethasone + metformin, 50 mg/kg intragastrically + A. podagraria tincture, 1 ml/kg intragastrically. Dexamethasone was used at a dose of 5 mg/kg subcutaneously for 5 days. Body weight dynamics was registered, total protein and albumin level, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase activity was determined in blood plasma, uric acid and urea content – in blood plasma and urine. Several favourable effects of the combination of goutweed tincture and metformin were seen, namely, the reduction in plasma ALT activity and increase in urea clearance as well as normalization of ALP activity. In contrast to metformin, goutweed tincture limited the dexamethasone-induced increase in plasma albumin concentration and decreased De Ritis ratio. Dexamethasone tended to increase renal uric acid excretion, metformin led to the further increment, in the groups receiving goutweed tincture this value was unchanged, but, proceeding from the normal values of uricemia, extrarenal mechanisms of the influence on purine metabolism were possible in these animals. All of the investigated preparations did not influence on plasma AST activity and caused further decrease in body weight that was reduced under the influence of dexamethasone. In-depth research of the interaction of goutweed tincture with metformin is expedient.

DOI 10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17
Published in Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants (Volume 2, Issue 6, December 2016)
Page(s) 117-126
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Aegopodium podagraria L., Goutweed, Dexamethasone, Metformin, Rats, Combined Drugs

References
[1] Gurib-Fakim A. Medicinal plants: Traditions of yesterday and drugs of tomorrow. Mol Aspect Med. 2006; 27 (1): 1–93.
[2] Di Pierro F. Roles of chemical complexity and evolutionary theory in some hepatic and intestinal enzymatic systems in chemical reproducibility and clinical efficiency of herbal derivatives. Sci World J. 2014; 2014: 732045.
[3] Yang Y, Zhang Z, Li S, Ye X, Li X, He K. Synergy effects of herb extracts: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic basis. Fitoterapia. 2014; 92: 133–147.
[4] Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H. Global prevalence of diabetes. Estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. Diabetes Care 2004; 27: 1047–1053.
[5] Tripathi Poonam, Gupta Prem Prakash, Lal Vijay Kumar. Interaction of Momordica charantia with metformin in diabetic rats. Am J Pharmacol Toxicol. 2013; 8: 102–106.
[6] Prabhakar PK, Doble M. Synergistic effect of phytochemicals in combination with hypoglycemic drugs on glucose uptake in myotubes. Phytomedicine. 2009; 16: 1119–1126.
[7] Tovchiga OV. The influence of goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) preparations on the metabolic processes in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Pharmacol Med Toxicol. 2012; 5: 73–78. [In Ukrainian]
[8] Tovchiga OV. The investigation of the goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) diuretic, nephroprotective and hypouricemic action as the basis for the drug development. PhD thesis. Kharkiv: NUPh; 2009.
[9] Koyro OO. Role of goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) biologically active substances in nephroprotective, hepatoprotective and hypouricemic activity. PhD thesis. Kharkiv: NUPh; 2013.
[10] Orav A, Viitak A, Vaher M. Identification of bioactive compounds in the leaves and stems of Aegopodium podagraria by various analytical techniques. Proc Chem. 2010; 2 (1): 152–160.
[11] Tovchiga OV. The influence of goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) tincture and metformin on the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in dexamethasone-treated rats. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2016; 16: 235.
[12] Tovchiga O. Effects of Aegopodium podagraria preparations on the metabolic disorders induced in rats by excess fructose combined with hydrochlorothiazide: the relationship between influence on electrolyte and сarbohydrate metabolism. Int J Biochem Res Rev. 2014; 4: 80–98.
[13] Tovchiga OV. Renal effects of goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) preparations in rats with the metabolic disorders induced by fructose and hydrochlorothiazide. Ukr Biopharm J. 2014; 4 (33): 60–66. [In Ukrainian]
[14] Tovchiga OV, Shtrygol’ SYu, Stepanova SI, inventors; National University of Pharmacy, assignee. Use of 20% tincture of bishop's-weed with 70% ethyl alcohol as means of hypoglycemic action. Ukraine patent 104448. 10.02.2014; 4 p.
[15] Stefanov OV. Preclinical studies of drugs. Kyiv:"Avicenna", 2001; 528 p.[In Ukrainian]
[16] Fine J. The biuret method of estimating albumin and globulin in serum and urine Biochem J. 1935; 29 (3): 799–803.
[17] Rodkey FL. Direct spectrophotometric determination of albumin in the serum with bromcresol green. Clin. Chem. 1965; 11: 478.
[18] Reitman S, Frankel S. A colorimetric method for the determination of serum glutamic oxalacetic and glutamic pyruvic transaminases. Am J Clin Pathol. 1957; 28 (1): 56–63.
[19] Kind PR, King EJ. Estimation of plasma phosphatase by determination of hydrolysed phenol with amino-antipyrine. J Clin Pathol. 1954; 7 (4): 322–326.
[20] Persijn JP, van der Slik WJ A new method for the determination of gamma-glutamyltransferase in serum. Clin Chem Clin Biochem. 1976; 14 (9): 421–427.
[21] Eichhorn F, Zelmanowski S, Lew E. Improvement of the uric acid determination by the carbonate method for serum and urine. J Clin Pathol. 1961; 14: 450–452.
[22] Fossati P, Prencipe L, Berti G. Use of 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxybenzenesulfonic acid/4-aminophenazone chromogenic system in direct enzymic assay of uric acid in serum and urine. Clin Chem. 1980; 26 (2): 227–231.
[23] Crocker CL. Rapid determination of urea nitrogen in serum or plasma without deproteinization. Am J Med Technol 1967; 33 (5): 361–365.
[24] Lee PN, Lovel D. Statistics for toxicology. In: Ballantyne B, Marrs TC, Syversen T, editors General and applied toxicology. London: John Wiley & Sons; 2009: 675–669.
[25] Mc Clatchey KD. Clinical Laboratory Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams Wilkins; 2002.
[26] Zidek N, Hellmann J, Kramer PJ, Hewitt PG. Acute hepatotoxicity: a predictive model based on focused illumina microarrays. Toxicol Sci. 2007; 99 (1): 289–302.
[27] Qian K, Zhong S, Xie K, Yu D, Yang R, Gong DW. Hepatic ALT isoenzymes are elevated in gluconeogenic conditions including diabetes and suppressed by insulin at the protein level. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2015; 31 (6): 562–571.
[28] Zhengtao Liu, Shuping Que, Jing Xu, Tao Peng. Alanine aminotransferase-old biomarker and new concept: a review. Int J Med Sci. 2014; 11 (9): 925–935.
[29] Rafacho A, Ortsäter H, Nadal A, Quesada I. Glucocorticoid treatment and endocrine pancreas function: implications for glucose homeostasis, insulin resistance and diabetes. J Endocrinol. 2014; 223: R49–R62.
[30] Andrade-Cetto A, Vázquez RC. Gluconeogenesis inhibition and phytochemical composition of two Cecropia species. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010; 130: 93–97.
[31] Naowaboot J, Piyabhan P, Munkong N, Parklak W, Pannangpetch P. Ferulic acid improves lipid and glucose homeostasis in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2016; 43 (2): 242–250.
[32] Lima LC, Buss GD, Ishii-Iwamoto EL, Salgueiro-Pagadigorria C, Comar JF, Bracht A et al. Metabolic effects of p-coumaric acid in the perfused rat liver. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2006; 20 (1): 18–26.
[33] Zinman B, Haffner SM, Herman WH, Holman RR, Lachin JM, Kravitz BG et al. Effect of rosiglitazone, metformin, and glyburide on bone biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010; 95 (1): 134–142.
[34] Sofer E, Shargorodsky M. Effect of metformin treatment on circulating osteoprotegerin in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatol Int. 2016; 10 (1): 169.
[35] Kunutsor SK. Gamma-glutamyltransferase-friend or foe within? Liver Int. 2016 [In press]
[36] Koshevaya EY. Experimental basis of clinical application natural antidiabetic phytocomposition “Phytoglunor” PhD thesis. Kharkiv: NUPh; 2011.
[37] Gallo A, Ceolotto G, Pinton P, Iori E, Murphy E, Rutter GA et al. Metformin prevents glucose-induced protein kinase C-beta2 activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells through an antioxidant mechanism. Diabetes. 2005; 54 (4): 1123–1131.
[38] Zaïbi MS, Padieu P, Chessebeuf-Padieu M, el Baraka M, Wiernsperger N, Rapin JR Metformin induces an agonist-specific increase in albumin production by primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Biochem Pharmacol. 1995; 50 (6): 775–780.
[39] Adam J, Brandmaier S, Leonhardt J, Scheerer MF, Mohney RP, Xu T et al. Metformin effect on non-targeted metabolite profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes and multiple murine tissues Diabetes. 2016 [In press]
[40] Owolabi OJ, Omogbai EK. Effect of metformin on potassium-adapted and non-adapted diabetic rats. Trop J Pharm Res. 2012; 11 (5): 747–752.
[41] Barskova VG, Eliseev MS, Kudaeva FM, Aleksandrova EN, Volkov AV, Nasonova VA et al. Effect of metformin on the clinical course of gout and insulin resistance. Klin Med (Mosk). 2009; 87 (7): 41–46. [In Russian]
[42] Cosić V, Antić S, Pesić M, Jovanović O, Kundalić S, Djordjević VB. Monotherapy with metformin: does it improve hypoxia in type 2 diabetic patients? Clin Chem Lab Med. 2001; 39 (9): 818–821.
[43] Eid HM, Nachar A, Thong F, Sweeney G, Haddad PS. The molecular basis of the antidiabetic action of quercetin in cultured skeletal muscle cells and hepatocytes Pharmacogn Mag. 2015; 11 (41): 74–81.
[44] Borikov AYu. Experimental basis of quercetin application for the correction of metabolic manifestations of insulin resistance syndrome. PhD thesis. Kharkiv: V. Danilevsky Institute of Endocrine Pathology Problems at Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine; 2011.
[45] Tongjaroenbuangam W, Ruksee N, Chantiratikul P, Pakdeenarong N, Kongbuntad W, Govitrapong P. Neuroprotective effects of quercetin, rutin and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Linn.) in dexamethasone-treated mice. Neurochem Int. 2011; 59 (5): 677–685.
[46] Derakhshanian H, Djalali M, Djazayery A, Nourijelyani K, Ghadbeigi S, Pishva H et al. Quercetin prevents experimental glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: a comparative study with alendronate. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2013; 91 (5): 380–385.
[47] Ruhl CE, Everhart JE. Coffee and caffeine consumption reduce the risk of elevated serum alanine aminotransferase activity in the United States. Gastroenterology. 2005; 128 (1): 24–32.
[48] Muriel P, Arauz J. Coffee and liver diseases. Fitoterapia. 2010; 81 (5): 297–305.
[49] Alberti A. Importance of dietary hydroxycinnamic acids in the therapy of liver fibrosis. Orv Hetil. 2012; 153 (24): 948–953.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    O. V. Tovchiga. (2017). Metabolic Effects of Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) Tincture and Metformin in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats. Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants, 2(6), 117-126. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    O. V. Tovchiga. Metabolic Effects of Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) Tincture and Metformin in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats. J. Dis. Med. Plants 2017, 2(6), 117-126. doi: 10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    O. V. Tovchiga. Metabolic Effects of Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) Tincture and Metformin in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats. J Dis Med Plants. 2017;2(6):117-126. doi: 10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17,
      author = {O. V. Tovchiga},
      title = {Metabolic Effects of Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) Tincture and Metformin in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats},
      journal = {Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants},
      volume = {2},
      number = {6},
      pages = {117-126},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jdmp.20160206.17},
      abstract = {The interest in the preclinical studies of the efficacy and safety of herbal drugs combinations with antidiabetic medicines increases. Aegopodium podagraria L. (goutweed) is a plant widely used in traditional medicine. The tincture obtained from its aerial part is characterized by antihyperglycemic, lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects and is able to partially increase the efficacy of metformin in the animals receiving dexamethasone (permissive effect in regard to glucose and lipid metabolism normalization). The objective of this study is to determine the influence of goutweed tincture combined with metformin on protein and purine metabolism as well as the state of liver in dexamethasone-treated rats. The animals were divided into 5 groups as follows: intact control, dexamethasone (untreated), dexamethasone + metformin, 50 mg/kg; dexamethasone + A. podagraria tincture, 1 ml/kg intragastrically; dexamethasone + metformin, 50 mg/kg intragastrically + A. podagraria tincture, 1 ml/kg intragastrically. Dexamethasone was used at a dose of 5 mg/kg subcutaneously for 5 days. Body weight dynamics was registered, total protein and albumin level, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase activity was determined in blood plasma, uric acid and urea content – in blood plasma and urine. Several favourable effects of the combination of goutweed tincture and metformin were seen, namely, the reduction in plasma ALT activity and increase in urea clearance as well as normalization of ALP activity. In contrast to metformin, goutweed tincture limited the dexamethasone-induced increase in plasma albumin concentration and decreased De Ritis ratio. Dexamethasone tended to increase renal uric acid excretion, metformin led to the further increment, in the groups receiving goutweed tincture this value was unchanged, but, proceeding from the normal values of uricemia, extrarenal mechanisms of the influence on purine metabolism were possible in these animals. All of the investigated preparations did not influence on plasma AST activity and caused further decrease in body weight that was reduced under the influence of dexamethasone. In-depth research of the interaction of goutweed tincture with metformin is expedient.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Metabolic Effects of Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria L.) Tincture and Metformin in Dexamethasone-Treated Rats
    AU  - O. V. Tovchiga
    Y1  - 2017/01/11
    PY  - 2017
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17
    T2  - Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants
    JF  - Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants
    JO  - Journal of Diseases and Medicinal Plants
    SP  - 117
    EP  - 126
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2469-8210
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jdmp.20160206.17
    AB  - The interest in the preclinical studies of the efficacy and safety of herbal drugs combinations with antidiabetic medicines increases. Aegopodium podagraria L. (goutweed) is a plant widely used in traditional medicine. The tincture obtained from its aerial part is characterized by antihyperglycemic, lipid-lowering, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effects and is able to partially increase the efficacy of metformin in the animals receiving dexamethasone (permissive effect in regard to glucose and lipid metabolism normalization). The objective of this study is to determine the influence of goutweed tincture combined with metformin on protein and purine metabolism as well as the state of liver in dexamethasone-treated rats. The animals were divided into 5 groups as follows: intact control, dexamethasone (untreated), dexamethasone + metformin, 50 mg/kg; dexamethasone + A. podagraria tincture, 1 ml/kg intragastrically; dexamethasone + metformin, 50 mg/kg intragastrically + A. podagraria tincture, 1 ml/kg intragastrically. Dexamethasone was used at a dose of 5 mg/kg subcutaneously for 5 days. Body weight dynamics was registered, total protein and albumin level, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase activity was determined in blood plasma, uric acid and urea content – in blood plasma and urine. Several favourable effects of the combination of goutweed tincture and metformin were seen, namely, the reduction in plasma ALT activity and increase in urea clearance as well as normalization of ALP activity. In contrast to metformin, goutweed tincture limited the dexamethasone-induced increase in plasma albumin concentration and decreased De Ritis ratio. Dexamethasone tended to increase renal uric acid excretion, metformin led to the further increment, in the groups receiving goutweed tincture this value was unchanged, but, proceeding from the normal values of uricemia, extrarenal mechanisms of the influence on purine metabolism were possible in these animals. All of the investigated preparations did not influence on plasma AST activity and caused further decrease in body weight that was reduced under the influence of dexamethasone. In-depth research of the interaction of goutweed tincture with metformin is expedient.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Pharmacology, National University of Pharmacy, Kharkiv, Ukraine

  • Sections