Antioxidant Action of Hesperis matronalis L. in Chronic Experimental Diabetes

Hesperis matronalis L. is an herbaceous species used in traditional medicine for stimulatory, antiscorbutic, diuretic, diaphoretic and expectorant properties. The antioxidant effect of a 20% hydroalcoholic extract from the flowering aerial part of H. matronalis (HMHE) was evaluated in mice with chronic experimental streptozotocin-induced diabetes (STZ-ID). Four groups of mice included one control group treated with saline and three test groups with STZ-ID. The second group remained with untreated diabetes and was evaluated for 35 days. The third and fourth groups were treated daily for 35 days with 20% hydroalcoholic extract from the leaves of Vaccinium myrtillus (VMHE, positive control group) and HMHE (experimental group), respectively. At the end of experiment, the levels of some oxidative stress markers were determined in blood samples, including malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was assessed. In addition to the hypoglycemic action, HMHE exhibited a decrease in the MDApro-oxidant activity and increase in the antioxidant activity of SOD, GPx and TAC. The anti-oxidative stress effect was correlated with decreased blood sugar in chronic STZ-ID mice. Based on these results, HMHE can be recommended as a source of natural polyphenols with adjunctive role in the prophylaxis and treatment of diabetes.