Research Article
Sudhanshu Kumar Bharti, Amit K
Abstract
This study evaluates the antidiabetic activities of essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaf sheath of Cymbopogon citratus (CCEO) in poloxamer-407 induced type 2 diabetic (T2D) Wistar rats. The sample was then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS) identifying 23 compounds representing 96.9% of the oil. The major compounds of essential oil were geranial (42.4%), neral (29.8%), myrcene (8.9%) and geraniol (8.5%). When compared to diabetic control rats, the CCEO treated diabetic rats presented significant amelioration of glycaemia, insulinamia and lipid dysmetabolism, accompanied by increased GLP-1 content in cecum and remarkable reduction of oxidative markers. Histopatholgical analysis of pancreas showed increase in β-cell mass, islet number and quality of insulitis. HYBRID and FRED docking were performed for 48 documented CCEO phytoconstituents for putative action mechanism concerning three proteins namely PTP-1B, PPAR-γ and DPP-IV having diabetic therapeutic properties. Phytoconstituents like myrcenol, linalool, α-elemol and β-Eudesmol showed significant interaction with PPAR-γ and DPP-IV while only pimelyl dihydrazide showed interaction with PTP-1B. The results provided a pharmacological evidence of CCEO as antidiabetic mediated by interaction of various phytoconstituents with multiple targets operating in diabetes mellitus.