Paradoxical Anti-Diabetic Effect of Lantana camara Leaf Extract and Pancreatic Oxidative Stress Relieved by Grape Seed and Skin Extract

Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) is a medicinal plant largely used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases, but it is also a highly noxious weeds causing serious damage to both animals and humans. We have studied the glucose lowering effect of ethanolic extract from leaves of L. camara (Lc) in euglycemic Wistar rats that were treated with the multi-organ protective and adjuvant grape seed and skin extract (GSSE). The Lc leaf extract was administered at various doses during 3 weeks. Glycemia was evaluated each week and liver glycogen and insulinemia as well as pancreas oxidative stress and energy fueling disturbances measured at the end of the treatment. Data mainly showed that Lc leaf extract lowered plasma glucose without affecting insulinemia, elevated liver glycogen along with increased oxidative stress and disturbed energy fueling as TCA cycle, glycolysis, neoglucogenesis, and ETC complex enzymes within pancreas. GSSE acted as an efficient adjuvant that improved and counteracted all toxic side effects generated by the Lc leaf extract within pancreas. Our data mainly showed that Lc leaf extract exerted glucose lowering activity that could be exploited in the struggle against diabetes, but also harbored toxic side effects within pancreas that was in fine corrected upon GSSE treatment.