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Abstract:The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of the aqueous extract of Ocimum basilicum (OB) whole plant were investigated in normal and streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. After a single oral administration, OB significantly reduced blood glucose levels in normal (p<0.01) and diabetic rats (p<0.001). After 15 days of repeated oral administration, OB produced a potent reduction on blood glucose levels (p<0.001) in diabetic rats and a less reduction in normal rats (p<0.05). Total plasma cholesterol and triglycerides levels were significantly reduced after repeated oral administration in diabetic rats (p<0.001) and (p<0.05) respectively. However, no change was observed in total plasma cholesterol and triglycerides levels in normal rats after both single and repeated oral administration. In addition, plasma insulin levels and body weight remained unchanged over 15 days of oral administration in normal and diabetic rats. We conclude that the aqueous extract of OB exhibits potent anti-hyperglycaemic and hypolipidemic activities in diabetic rats without affecting basal plasma insulin concentrations.

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Abstract:The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro vasorelaxanteffect of Capparis spinosa Aqueous Extract (CSAE) at a dose of 10 mg mL −1 . Aortic rings isolated from normal wistar rats were used. The addition of CSAE during the plateau phase of contraction, induced by noradrenaline and KCl, produced a rapid relaxation. Incubation of aortic ring with CSAE during 30 min shifted the noradrenaline induced dose response curve (p<0.001) and the maximum response (p<0.001) was attenuated indicating that antagonist effect of the α1 adrenoreceptors was non-competitive. However, endothelium remove significantly reduced the vasorelaxant effect of CSAE (p<0.01). Furthermore, nitric oxide inhibition reduced the vasorelaxant effect of CSAE. However, cyclo-oxygenase inhibition did not affect the vasorelaxant effect of CSAE (p<0.05). Inhibition of L-type voltage dependent Ca2+ channels did not reduce the observed CSAE vasorelaxant effect (p<0.05). We conclude that CSAE at a dose of 10 mg mL −1 possess in vitro vasorelaxant effect which may by mediated via an α1 adrenoreceptors antagonism and/or modulation of nitric oxide synthesis.