ORAL GLUCOSE TOLERANCE, HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND NEPHROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF COMBINATION THERAPY OF LINAGLIPTIN AND EMBLICA OFFICINALIS AND ITS AMELIORATING EFFECT ON STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Background & Objectives: Emblica officinalis Gaertn is a widely used medicinal plant with antidiabetic activity. This study was aimed to improve oral glucose tolerance, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective effect of linagliptin by given combination of aqueous fruit extract of Emblica officinalis on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Materials & Methods: Diabetes was produced on Wister albino rats by the intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg BW). Linagliptin (5mg/70kg BW), E. officinalis (200 mg/kg BW) and fixed dose combination therapy of linagliptin (2.5 mg /70kg BW) with E. officinalis (100 mg/kg BW) were administered orally once daily for four weeks. Results: The result showed that both linagliptin and aqueous fruit extract of E. officinalis significantly increased oral glucose tolerance but combination therapy increased glucose utilization more significantly in comparison with linagliptin in glucose induced rats. Treatment with linagliptin and E. officinalis significantly restored liver function indices as measured by liver to body weight ratio, serum alanin transaminase, serum aspartate transaminase, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum Ɣ- glutamyl transferase, albumin and globulin and also kidney function indices as measured by kidney to body weight ratio, calcium, creatinine, urea and uric acid to normal levels. Where, their combination therapy significantly increased the hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activity in comparison with linagliptin. Conclusion: These investigations may suggest that combination therapy of linagliptin and aqueous fruit extract of Emblica officinalis might give higher ameliorating effect on oral glucose tolerance, hepatoprotective and nephroprotective activity in comparison with Linagliptin on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.