Beyond traditional medicine: Erythrophyleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan shows promising antidiabetic activity in experimentally induced type II diabetes

This study aimed to investigate the antidiabetic activity of the methanolic extract of Erythrophyleum suaveolens stem bark (MEESS) in fructose-fed streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Diabetes was induced in rats by administering 10% fructose for two weeks, followed by an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a low dose (40 mg/kg) of streptozotocin (STZ) to induce type 2 diabetes (T2D). The groups of experimental rats were categorized as follows: control, diabetic-control, diabetic metformin (100 mg/kg), diabetes + MEESS (150 mg/kg), and diabetes + MEESS (300 mg/kg). MEESS was administered to the two diabetic groups at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight. Following the conclusion of the experiment, blood samples (for serum collection) and liver tissues were collected for biochemical analysis. MEESS significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated STZ-induced elevations in blood glucose, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and restored the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which were previously depleted by STZ. In diabetic rats, MEESS treatment led to increased hexokinase activity and decreased G6Pase activity. Additionally, MEESS upregulated the mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ= while downregulating kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), and caspase-3 mRNA expression in the liver. MEESS regulates glucose homeostasis in diabetic rats while preventing redox imbalance. • MEESS improved metabolic alterations in diabetic rats • MEESS improved dyslipidemia and oxidative status in diabetic rats • MEESS antidiabetic activity could be through modulation of Nrf2/Keap1 pathway