Biochemical analysis of Cassia fistula aqueous extract and phytochemically synthesized gold nanoparticles as hypoglycemic treatment for diabetes mellitus

Int J Nanomedicine. 2012:7:1189-202. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S26650. Epub 2012 Mar 7.

Abstract

Cassia fistula stem bark was used for the preparation of aqueous extract and synthesis of gold nanoparticles to evaluate the hypoglycemic effects of the plant. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy for their absorbance pattern, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to identify possible functional groups, and scanning electron microscopy to determine the size of the nanoparticles. The present investigation reports the efficacy of the gold nanoparticles as promising in the treatment of hyperglycemia. Body weight, serum glucose concentrations, liver function tests, kidney function tests, and lipid profile were analyzed. A significantly larger decrease in serum biochemistry parameters and an increase in body weight, total protein levels, and high-density lipoprotein were observed in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes treated with gold nanoparticles than in the ones treated with the aqueous extract. The results of this study confirm that C. fistula gold nanoparticles have promising antidiabetic properties.

Keywords: Cassia fistula; aqueous; biochemical analysis; diabetes mellitus; gold nanoparticles.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects*
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Cassia / chemistry*
  • Creatinine / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Carriers / pharmacology
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Gold / pharmacology
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Lipids / blood
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Plant Bark / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Urea / blood
  • Uric Acid / blood

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Drug Carriers
  • Hemoglobins
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Lipids
  • Plant Extracts
  • Uric Acid
  • Gold
  • Urea
  • Creatinine