Antioxidant and anti-diabetic potential of rebaudioside A and a mixture of steviol glycosides in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder rapidly spreading worldwide affects multiple organs and body functions. Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni), belonging to the Asteraceae family is a herb with medicinal and commercial importance to cure chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus. The present study was aimed to explore the antidiabetic effect of two reference standards like Steviol Glycosides System Suitability (SGSS, a mixture of nine steviol glycosides) and Rebaudioside A in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. In this regard,  diabetes was induced in rats by administration of a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg body weight). After exposure to alloxan monohydrate, the overall intracellular antioxidant functions get disturbed which significantly increase the blood glucose levels, plasma malondialdehyde and sialic acid content. The oral administration of SGSS and Reb A at a dose of (20 and 30 mg/kg b.wt.) for a period of 21 days to diabetic rats significantly (P ˂0.05) reduced the blood glucose levels when compared with alloxan-induced diabetic control (DC) rats of group II and restore the antioxidant potential by decreasing the oxidative damage and also normalizes hyperlipidemic indices. The study demonstrated that bioactive components (steviol glycosides) of S. rebaudiana have potential therapeutic prospects to attenuate diabetes and its related complications.