Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity of moringa grown in hydroponics and soil in Ararat Valley

Abstract

Background: Moringa has a hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic influence, and the water extract of its leaves can decrease the amount of glucose during Diabetes Mellitus. Moringa leaves in extract or powder form influenced type I and type II diabetes by enhancing insulin secretion and improving glycogen synthesis and glucose uptake in the liver and muscles. This occurred in the case of type I diabetes, as well as  by inhibiting glucose uptake and slowing gastric emptying in the case of type II diabetes.

Objective: In our study, we try to evaluate the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antistress activity of Moringa grown for the first time in Armenia in hydroponic and soil conditions to find out the beneficial cultivation method of Moringa from the point of view of these activities.

Materials and Methods: The study was done with the usage of a rabbit model, using water extract of Moringa leaves made with a 150 mg count of leaves on 1 kg weight of the animal. Hyperglycemia in the rabbits was induced by 21-day immobilization stress (3 hours a day). Rabbits were divided into 4 groups: the first  group was treated with the extract from the hydroponic Moringa in a dose of 2 ml/day, the second group received the extract from the soil Moringain a dose of 2 ml/day, the third group was the control—which did not receive any extract, but was exposed to stress, like first  and second  groups— and the fourth  group was the norm, which did not receive any extract and was stress free. Each group included 3 animals as means of replication. The glycogen level was measured in the livers, hearts, and muscles of rabbits. The level of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL were measured in the serum of animals.

Results: Our results showed that after a 21-day period of stress, the increased level of glucose stays at a high level in control groups, while the use of a hydroponic Moringa extract developed stress tolerance in animals and in soil Moringa extract stabilizes glucose levels in the blood. The cholesterol exceeded the norm 1.8 times in the control group and was inferior in hydroponic and soil groups by 1.5 and 1.4 times, respectively. These changes reflect the amount of HDL and LDL. Under stress conditions, the quantity of glycogen decreased from the norm in the liver, muscles, and heart muscle in the control group (2.5; 2.4; and 2.4 times, respectively) and increased in hydroponic (1.6; 1.5; and 2.1 times, respectively) and soil (1.6; 1.5; and 2.4 times, respectively) groups. This evidence shows that under stress conditions the glucose level of blood is improved on the 21st day of stress in groups that received the extract of moringa because of glucose exchange to glycogen with high efficiency in different organs.

Keywords:  antistress activity, diabetes, HDL, glucose, Moringa oleifera, total cholesterol