Efficacy of Silymarin and Eclipta Alba Extract on Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Obese Rats

Obesity is associated with the development of numerous diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and psychological disorders. In this study we investigated the effect of silymarin, Eclipta alba extract and their combination compared to metformin in the protection against high fat diet-induced obesity involved in the development of type II diabetes mellitus. The protective effect of these drugs was studied by coadministration of these drugs for 60 days concurrently with the high fat diet. Also, in this study we investigated the effect of the tested drugs compared with metformin in the management of type II diabetes mellitus associated with obesity by coadministration of these drugs as treatment for 30 daysthe results of the present study it could be concluded that:1. Obesity may lead to hyperglycaemia, insulin resistance and elevation in total lipids and FFAs. These effects are associated with a reduction in β-cell function and antioxidant defense mechanisms.2. Obesity may participate, to a large extent, in the incidence of type II diabetes mellitus. This effect may be, in part, due to the increase in FFA levels and the induced oxidative stress.3. The progressive reduction in serum lipids specially FFAs and the increase in antioxidant enzymes may lead to the improvement of glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and then decreased blood glucose level after the administration of antioxidants (silymarin and Eclipta alba extract). These results may indicate that oxidative stress may be implicated in the pathogenesis of the obesity-induced type II diabetes mellitus.4. Silymarin delayed the incidence of obesity-induced diabetes mellitus in normal and obese rats. This may be due to its ability to protect both the liver and the pancreas against free radicals that were produced by the elevated FFAs levels.5. Eclipta alba extract has an antidiabetic effect in experimental rats. This may be attributed to the improvement in the liver and pancreatic status, through its antioxidant activity. 6. Silymarin and Eclipta alba extract in combination have more potent protective effect than each one alone. These effects were more pronounced than that of metformin as a protective therapy against obesity-induced diabetes mellitus.