In Vitro Antioxidant and In Vivo Antidiabetic Properties of Citrus Maxima Leaf Extracts in Alloxan-Induced Swiss Albino Diabetic Mice

Aims: The current study aimed to explore in vitro antioxidant capacity and in vivo antidiabetic property of Citrus maxima leaf.

Methods: Citrus maxima leaf extracts were prepared using methanol (MECML) and ethanol (EECML) in this study. Antioxidant capacity of both extracts was evaluated using total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, DPPH free radical scavenging assay, and ABTS free radical scavenging assay. Cytotoxicity of MECML and EECML was assessed by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. To explore the in vivo antidiabetic property of MECML and EECML, diabetic mellitus (DM) was induced in Swiss albino mice by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan. Then diabetic mice were treated with both extracts for 28 days. Effects of both extracts on serum levels of glucose, liver function enzymes, and parameters of lipid profile associated with DM were evaluated.

Results: In TAC and FRAP assays, MECML and EECML represented gradually increased reducing capacity in a dose-dependent manner. In DPPH and ABTS assays, both extracts showed notable free radical scavenging activity with lower IC50 values. Additionally, MECML and EECML showed very low toxicity with LC50 values of 80.46 and 105.59 μg/mL, respectively in brine shrimp lethality assay. Moreover, both extracts significantly augmented altered levels of serum glucose, parameters of lipid profile, SGPT, SGOT, and C-reactive protein with the treatment of MECML and EECML.

Conclusion: This study suggests Citrus maxima leaf possesses significant antioxidant and antidiabetic properties and they might play a potential role to prevent diabetic mellitus and diabetic mellitus associated complications