OLIVE AND ARTICHOKE LEAVES ATTENUATE HYPERGLYCEMIA AND PROTECT LIVER IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

The current study was designed to investigate the chemical composition of olive and artichoke leaves, focusing on the content of phenolic compounds, assessing the antioxidant properties of these plant leaves, and evaluating the effects of olive and artichoke leaves on the glucose levels in diabetic rats. Results indicated that the chemical composition of olive and artichoke leaves were moisture (4.98 and 3.02 %), crude fiber (13.25 and 14.4 %), ash (6.95 and 6.27 %), crude protein (10.35 and 9.41 %), total lipids (12.25 and 1.13 %) and total carbohydrate (52.22 and 65.77%). The phenolic compounds content for olive leaves were chrysin (30.1%) and oleuropein (15.17%), meanwhile phenolic compounds content for artichoke leaves were genstin (7.78%) catechol and cinamic acid (1.9 and 1.88%) respectively. The quenching of DPPH free radicals and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay further highlighted the antioxidant potential of olive and artichoke leaves. Treatment with water and alcoholic extracts of olive and artichoke leaves decreased significantly glucose levels, ALT, AST, ALP, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and VLDL-C. It increased significantly HDL-C as compared with the hyperglycemic group.