Hindawi BioMed Research International Volume 2018, Article ID 4526352, 9 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4526352 Research Article Biochemical Activity and Hypoglycemic Effects of Rumex obtusifolius L. Seeds Used in Armenian Traditional Medicine Anush Aghajanyan, Armine Nikoyan, and Armen Trchounian Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Yerevan State University, 0025 Yerevan, Armenia Correspondence should be addressed to Armen Trchounian; [email protected] Received 26 July 2018; Revised 24 September 2018; Accepted 24 October 2018; Published 7 November 2018 Academic Editor: Nabil Souissi Copyright © 2018 Anush Aghajanyan et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious chronic metabolic disorder. Various diseases are being treated with medicinal plants and that is because of the less side efects of the current therapy. Te diversity of plants in Armenia is due to the singularity of natural environment. However, biochemical activity of these plants has not been studied well. Tus, the goal was to investigate biochemical activity and antihyperglycemic properties of Rumex obtusifolius L. in rabbits with hyperglycemia. Te high content of total phenolic compounds, favonoids, and tannins has been determined in this plant extract. Oral administration of ethanol extract showed signifcant efect on hyperglycemia, reducing fasting glucose levels (57.3%, p<0.05), improving glucose tolerance, and increasing liver glycogen content (1.5-fold, p<0.01) compared to the hyperglycemic control group. Furthermore, ethanol extract of R. obtusifolius reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and vice versa increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and also decreased liver enzymes levels (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) compared with untreated group. Tese fndings suggest that R. obtusifolius may have benefcial efects and should be supplement, as herbal remedy in the treatment of DM. 1. Introduction stages [7]. Te oxidative damage and infammatory mediators induced by chronic psychological stress play a key role in this Hyperglycemia is a metabolic disorder of the endocrine process. Furthermore, durable immobilization can contribute system characterized by abnormal glucose metabolism which to the formation of unstable atherosclerotic lesions as a result is demonstrated by high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), hyper- of immune system cells accumulation and molecules adhe- cholesterolemia, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular sion, leading to thrombosis and cardiac complications [7, 8]. disease due to the disturbances of carbohydrate, lipid, and Tere are many drugs currently used in the treatment of protein metabolism resulting from insulin resistant and diabetes. Some reports indicate that treatments with synthetic � -cell dysfunction [1–3]. Dyslipidemia is a very frequent antidiabetic drugs have toxicity and cause adverse efects, metabolic disorder which is characterized by an increase of such as hypoglycemia, gastrointestinal and liver problems [9]. the rates of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low- Secondary metabolites of plants are responsible for preven- density lipoprotein (LDL), and reduction of the high-density tion and treatment of various diseases. Tissues of many plant lipoprotein (HDL) [4–6]. It is known that hypercholes- species contain secondary metabolites such as favonoids, gly- terolemia contributes to development of the atherosclerosis cosides, saponins, steroids, tannins, alkaloids, and terpenes. and subsequent of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and It is known that therapeutic efects of medicinal plants are renal failure [3, 6]. specifed due to biological active compounds. In fact, one Immobilization stress can increase the blood glucose part of the plant may exert a benefcial medicinal property, levels and the risk of cardiovascular diseases due to impaired while other parts of the same plant may be inefective or even endothelial function. Chronic immobilization stress leads to toxic. Consequently, screening of diferent parts of plants with atherosclerosis, which has an endothelial dysfunction at early antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities which 2 BioMed Research International may be efective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus would was measured at 500 nm wavelength, methanol was used, as be of a great interest. blank. Quantity of total tannins was expressed as micrograms Armenian fora has large diversity of plants which might of (+)-catechin equivalent per mg dry extract (CE/mg DW). delay the development of diabetic complications and correct metabolic disorders. Tus, the identifcation of potent antidi- 2.3. Animals. Nine domestic male rabbits (Oryctolagus abetic agents from natural sources, such as edible plants with cuniculus domesticus)(1800-1900g)wereusedinthisstudy, minimum side efects for diabetic patients, is crucial. Plants which was authorized by the “International Recommenda- belonging to the genus Rumex have been used traditionally tion on Carrying out of Biomedical Researches with use either as edible plants or for the treatment of several diseases of Animals,” and the study plan has been approved by in many parts of the world [10]. Rumex species are important the National Center of Bioethics (Armenia). Tey were edible and medicinal plants used in Armenian traditional acclimatized for 1 week prior to experimentation. Te ani- medicine. Tese plant species have been used in folk medicine mals were housed under standard environmental conditions ∘ for the treatment of various diseases and ailments, including (temperature 22±2 C in a light/dark cycle of 12 h) and had hypertension, infammation, and bacterial infections [11, 12]. free access to food and water during the experimental period. Rumex obtusifolius (RO) has been shown to have antibacterial Initial body weights were recorded one day before the start of activity [11]. Methanol extract of the leaves showed cytotoxic experiments. and high antioxidant activity due to its phenolic content [13]. However biochemical properties and hypoglycemic efects of 2.4. Induction of Hyperglycemia in Experimental Rabbits and RO have been not studied thoroughly. Blood Sampling. Hyperglycemia was induced by immobi- Tus, the goal was to investigate biochemical properties lization stress in the rabbits during 21 days (5 h daily) [7, and antihyperglycemic properties of RO in rabbits with 8]. Tey were roughly fxed on the board. Group 1 served hyperglycemia. as normoglycemic, group 2 was the hyperglycemic control (putting immobilization), and group 3— in common with 2. Materials and Methods immobilization—was administrated in single orally doses in 2 ml ethanol extract of RO. Blood glucose levels, lipid profle, 2.1. Plant Material and Preparation of the Extract. Te seeds and body weight of rabbits were measured at the beginning of the plant were harvested afer maturation. Identifcation of the experiment and then on the 1, 7, 14, and 21 days of oral of plant was carried out at the Department of Botany and treatment. At the end of the experiment, the animals were Mycology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan (Armenia). A sacrifced and analysis of liver and muscle glycogen content voucher specimen (No ERCB13208) has been deposited in was carried out. Blood samples were taken from the aural the herbarium of Yerevan State University. Te dried seeds vein and collected in serum separation tubes (Clot Activator ∘ were extracted with 40% ethanol for 20 min at 60 C. Briefy, & Gel, Turkey). Blood clot was removed by centrifugation ∘ 270-280 mg dry matter in 6 ml of ethanol. Te extract was at 3000 g for 10 min in a centrifuge at 4 C. Te resulting fltered with Watman flter paper (N1, Unichem, China) and supernatant was designated as a serum. afer cooling at room temperature was orally administrated. 2.5. Study Design. Te animals were randomly divided into 2.2. Quantitative Phytochemical Analysis. Te total phenolic three groups (n=9) as follows: group 1: normoglycemic, group content (TPC) of crude extracts was measured using Folin- 2: hyperglycemic control, putting immobilization, and group Ciocalteu method [14]. 2.5 mL 10% Folin-Ciocalteu reagent 3: hyperglycemic experimental, received RO seed extract and 2.5 mL 7.5% Na2CO3 were added to 0.5 mL sample (150 mg of extract per kg body weight (BW). Tis number extract (200 mg/mL concentration). Te reaction mixture of animals was chosen because they showed reliable repro- ∘ was incubated at 45 C for 40 min, and aferwards absorption ducible results. Each rabbit was housed individually in a sepa- was measured at 765 nm wavelength (GENESYS 10S UV- rate cage (0.90 × 0.60 × 0.40 m) with standard laboratory diet. VIS spectrophotometer, USA). Solvent was used, as blank. TPC of plant extracts was evaluated according to gallic acid 2.6. Biochemical Analysis. Te biochemical analysis was calibration curve and expressed as micrograms of gallic acid performed determining the serum level of glucose, TC, equivalents per mg of dry extract (GAE/mg DW). Flavonoids HDL- cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol. All parameters were were determined by the colorimetric method with AlCl3 [15]. assayed using enzymatic kit. Serum glucose level (mmol/L) 0.75 mL methanol, 0.05 mL 10% AlCl3, 0.05 mL 1 M Na-K was determined using glucose test kit based