Preventive effect of Sphaeranthus indicus during progression of glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in mice.

Context: The whole plant of Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. (Asteraceae) is traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Objective: The present study investigated the effect of the methanol extract of Sphaeranthus indicus whole plant in dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in mice.

Materials And Methods: The mice were treated with dexamethasone for 22 days and effects on plasma glucose level, serum triglyceride level, glucose uptake, levels of hepatic enzymes like glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidase (LPO), and body weight was observed.

Results: The Sphaeranthus indicus extract (SI) showed significant decrease in plasma glucose and serum triglyceride levels (p <0.01) at doses, of 400 and 800 mg/kg, p.o., and stimulated insulin assisted and non-insulin assisted glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. The levels of antioxidant enzymes GSH, SOD, and CAT were significantly increased (p <0.01) and there was a significant decrease in level of LPO (p <0.01). SI significantly restored (p <0.01) dexamethasone induced body weight loss.

Discussion And Conclusion: Sphaeranthus indicus may prove to be effective in the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus owing to its ability to decrease insulin resistance.