Benefits of Zubex beyond glycemic control: Evidence of the antiatherogenic effect.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of Zubex (aqueous extract of Curcuma longa linn, Iron murakab, Eugenia jambolana, Lin seed or flflax seed, processed egg shell calcium and Asphaltum) on plasma sialic acid (PSA) along with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

METHODS: Thirty male albino rats were divided into groups (1-6) with 5 rats in each group. Group 1 and 2 served as normal control (NC) and diabetic control (DC), respectively, and were given normal saline only. Groups 3-5 were given Zubex in different doses 100-400 mg/(kg day). Group 6 received glibenclamide 600 μg/(kg day) orally as a reference drug. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and PSA levels were determined at baseline after every 2 weeks for 10 weeks. The other parameters including blood lipids and hepatic enzymes were determined at baseline and at the end of the study. Finally, the liver was subjected to histological examination.

RESULTS: Compared with DC group, Zubex treated groups showed signifificant decline in FPG levels (P<0.05). At the endpoint, the decrease in PSA concentration was significant (P<0.05) from baseline at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/(kg day) only and insignifificant at the dose of 100 mg/ (kg day). Statistically signifificant improvements were observed in blood lipids at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg (P<0.05) compared with DC; but, the improvement was insignifificant in low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol at the dose of 100 mg/ (kg day). Signifificant decreases were also found in hepatic enzyme levels at all the doses of Zubex (P<0.05). Histological examination showed marked improvement in streptozotocin induced liver injury after treatment of all the 3 doses of Zubex.

CONCLUSION: Zubex could ameliorate PSA and other diabetic complications effectively and may be a useful alternative/adjuvant in diabetes treatment.