# Antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of Angylocalyx oligophyllus leaves aqueous extract in pregnant diabetic rats: Feto-maternal repercussions

## TL;DR

This study shows that a plant extract from Angylocalyx oligophyllus can reduce diabetes-related complications in pregnant rats and improve fetal outcomes.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of Angylocalyx oligophyllus extract in a preclinical model of diabetic pregnancy.

## Key findings

- The extract reduced maternal hyperglycemia, lipid levels, and liver oxidative stress in diabetic pregnant rats.
- It improved fetal outcomes by reducing malformations and increasing live births in diabetic rats.
- The extract showed anti-α-amylase activity and normalized several maternal and fetal parameters.

## Abstract

Pregestational diabetes mellitus can lead to many adverse outcomes during pregnancy both in the mother and her embryo/fetus. Plant-based products are empirically used as an alternative strategy to reduce these disorders. To investigate the effects of the Angylocalyx oligophyllus leaves aqueous extract on diabetes-induced metabolic, reproductive and fetal developmental disorders in pregnant diabetic rats, the in vitro anti-α-amylase and antioxidant plant effects first were evaluated. Then, adult virgin female rats primarily made diabetic by streptozotocin (35 mg/kg) and normal ones were mated with adult male rats. The pregnant rats were distributed into normal and diabetic control groups receiving distilled water, and diabetic rats groups treated with the plant extract doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) or Glibenclamide (standard; 10 mg/kg). Animals were orally treated from 1st to 19th day of gestation, daily weighted, blood glucose levels measured on 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th gestation days (gd). At the end of pregnancy, maternal diabetic and reproductive parameters, and fetal morphological parameters were analyzed. At the gd 20, there were significant hyperglycemia, altered glucose tolerance, increased total cholesterol, triglycerides, transaminases, liver MDA, SOD, CAT and GSH, reabsorptions sites, post-implantation losses and death fetuses, reduced 17-β-estradiol and numbers of pancreatic cells, corpora luteum, implantation sites and live fetuses in non-treated diabetic mothers, associated with reduced weight and placental and caudal malformations in offsprings. The A. oligophyllus leaves aqueous extract induced significant anti-α-amylase and antioxidant activities in vitro. In pregnant diabetic rats, the plant significantly (p < 0.5-p < 0.001) reduced the serum levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, transaminases liver MDA, SOD, CAT and GSH, and post-implantation losses, increased the serum HDL-cholesterol and 17-β-estradiol, the number of pancreatic cells, implantation sites and live fetuses, while reducing placental and caudal malformations, and normalizing fetal weights in offsprings. The A. oligophyllus supplementation during pregnancy would be beneficial in preventing reproductive complications related to diabetes mellitus.