Protective effect of moringa-based beverages against hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes-induced rats

The objectives of this study were to determine the phenolic profile and potential antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) cultivated in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the protective effect of moringa-based beverages on lipidemic and glycemic parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic rats (DR). The total phenolic content (TPC), chlorophylls, total carotenoids, total flavonoids, total flavonols, ascorbic acid content, and antioxidant activities (AOA) of MOL were determined and HPLC analysis of MOL was quantitatively performed. Moringa beverages as pure moringa (PM) and ginger-flavored moringa (GM) were given to diabetic rats (DR) at a dose of 1 mL 100 g-¹ body weight/day for a successive six weeks. Glucose level (GL), lipid profile, and antioxidant parameters including malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and pancreas histopathological alterations were examined. Results indicated that MOL and prepared moringa-based beverages possess a suppressive amount of phenolics with considerable antioxidant activity in vitro. TPC was 78.72 mg GAE g-¹ DW possess AOA as 36.33 μmol TE g-¹ DW. Among the eleven identified phenolic acids and six flavonoids in MOL, caffeic acid and catechin were predominant and recorded 151.01 and 736.30 mg/100 g, respectively. Administration of PM or GM beverages significantly decreased GL and significantly improved serum lipid profiles in the DR group. Interestingly, oral administration of PM and GM beverages significantly attenuated the MDA and GSH levels in the DR compared to normal rats. Histopathologically, severe atrophy was noted in the islets of Langerhans in the DR group. However, after six weeks of oral administration of PM beverage, only mild atrophy was recorded in the islets of Langerhans, while with GM beverage, no histopathological alteration in the islets of Langerhans was found. The nutritional and biological evaluation of the moringa-based beverages revealed that both PM and GM beverages exhibit high antioxidant activity, possess antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects, and alleviated alloxan-induced pancreatic damage in DR. Moringa could be recommended for diabetes and utilized for its great therapeutic benefits.