Catalase and glutathione
A significant (P < 0.001) lowering in the levels of CAT and glutathione (GSH) was observed in diabetic animals compare to normal controls. Treatment with A. squamosa extract alone, with reduced and reducing dose combinations of Glipizide significantly (P < 0.00, P < 0.01) increased the concentration of these enzymes. In reduced dose of Glipizide 3.75 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg and reducing doses with A. squamosa showed better elevated levels of CAT compared to Glipizide alone, while GSH levels were also controlled better in 3.75 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg dose combinations of Glipizide with A. squamosa. The results of the reducing dose combination were very similar to those of Glipizide alone (Table 2).
Liver parameters
Table 3 and Fig. 3 show the levels of SGOT and SGPT in serum of normal control, streptozotocin diabetic rats, and other treatment groups. The activities of these enzymes were found to be increased significantly (P < 0.001) in the serum of diabetic rats, when compared with other groups. There were no significant changes in the total bilirubin levels of the animals, which were all in the normal range (Table 3).Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase
The elevated levels of SGPT after oral administration of A. squamosa alone and in combination with Glipizide for 30 days returned significantly (P < 0.001, P < 0.01) near to normal. The reduced dose combination of 3.75 mg/kg Glipizide with A. squamosa controlled the SGPT levels similarly to Glipizide alone.
Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase
SGOT levels in diabetic rats were elevated (P < 0.001) compared to normal controls. Oral administration of A. squamosa alone, in reduced and reducing dose combination of Glipizide with A. squamosa controlled elevated SGOT levels. Better activity was found in the reduced and reducing dose combination of Glipizide with A. squamosa as compared to Glipizide alone.
Behavioural (psychological) study
Elevated plus maze test for anxiety
Anxiety of animals was decreased significantly as assessed by open arm exploration time in the diabetic control rats (P < 0.001) (Table 4). Oral administration of A.squamosa alone and reduced and reducing dose combination of Glipizide with A. squamosa for 30 days improved the anxiety behaviour of the diabetic rats. In the elevated plus maze study after 15 days of the treatment the A. squamosa alone treated group showed better activity among all groups. The results of reduced and reducing dose combinations were nearly similar to the Glipizide alone. After 30 days treatment the results of reduced dose combination 3.75 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg of Glipizide with A. squamosa were better as compare to the Glipizide alone and A. squamosa alone. The reducing dose combination of Glipizide with A. squamosa showed the nearly similar results as compare to Glipizide alone.