Antihyperglycemic Effect of Lavandula pedunculata: In Vivo, In Vitro and Ex Vivo Approaches

Salima Boutahiri; Mohamed Bouhrim; Chayma Abidi; Hamza Mechchate; Ali S Alqahtani; Omar M Noman; Ferdinand Kouoh Elombo; Bernard Gressier; Sevser Sahpaz; Mohamed Bnouham; Jehan-François Desjeux; Touriya Zair; Bruno Eto

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13122019

Antihyperglycemic Effect of Lavandula pedunculata: In Vivo, In Vitro and Ex Vivo Approaches

Pharmaceutics. 2021 Nov 26;13(12):2019. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122019.

Authors

Salima Boutahiri^{1

2

3}, Mohamed Bouhrim⁴, Chayma Abidi⁵, Hamza Mechchate⁶, Ali S Alqahtani⁷, Omar M Noman⁷, Ferdinand Kouoh Elombo^{1

8}, Bernard Gressier¹, Sevser Sahpaz³, Mohamed Bnouham⁴, Jehan-François Desjeux⁹, Touriya Zair², Bruno Eto¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratoires TBC, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France.
² Research Team of Chemistry of Bioactive Molecules and the Environment, Laboratory of Innovative Materials and Biotechnology of Natural Resources, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismaïl University, B.P. 11201 Zitoune, Meknes 50070, Morocco.
³ Univ. Lille, University of Liège, University of Picardie Jules Verne, JUNIA, UMRT 1158 BioEcoAgro, Specialized Metabolites of Plant Origin, F-59000 Lille, France.
⁴ Laboratory of Bioresources, Biotechnology, Ethnopharmacology and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed First University, B.P. 717, Oujda 60000, Morocco.
⁵ Laboratory of Functional Physiology and Valorization of Bio-Resources, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Beja, University of Jendouba, B.P. 382, Beja 9000, Tunisia.
⁶ Laboratory of Biotechnology, Environment, Agri-Food, and Health, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, P.O. Box 1796, Fez 30000, Morocco.
⁷ Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Laboratory de Pharmacology and Toxicology (LPT), Unit of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Valorization, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé BP 812, Cameroon.
⁹ National Academy of Medicine, 16, rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris, France.

Abstract

Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav. (LP) is one of lavender species traditionally used in Morocco to prevent or cure diabetes, alone or in the form of polyherbal preparations (PHP). Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to test the antihyperglycemic effect of the aqueous extract of LP, alone and in combination with Punica granatum L. (PG) and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (FGK). The secondary objective was to explore some mechanisms of action on the digestive functions. The antihyperglycemic effect of the aqueous extract of LP, alone and in combination with PG and FGK, was studied in vivo using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In addition, LP extract was tested on the activities of some digestive enzymes (pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase) in vitro and on the intestinal absorption of glucose ex vivo using a short-circuit current (I_sc) technique. Acute and chronic oral administration of LP aqueous extract reduced the peak of the glucose concentration (30 min, p < 0.01) and the area under the curve (AUC, p < 0.01). The effect of LP + PG was at the same amplitude to that of the positive control Metformin (MET). LP aqueous extract inhibited the pancreatic α-amylase with an IC₅₀ almost identical to acarbose (0.44 ± 0.05 mg/mL and 0.36 ± 0.02 mg/mL, respectively), as well as the intestinal α-glucosidase, (IC₅₀ = 131 ± 20 µg/mL) and the intestinal glucose absorption (IC₅₀ = 81.28 ± 4.01 µg/mL) in concentration-dependent manners. LP aqueous extract exhibited potent actions on hyperglycemia, with an inhibition on digestive enzymes and glucose absorption. In addition, the combination with PG and FGK enhanced oral glucose tolerance in rats. These findings back up the traditional use of LP in type 2 diabetes treatment and the effectiveness of the alternative and combinative poly-phytotherapy (ACPP).

Keywords: Lavandula pedunculata (Mill.) Cav.; Punica granatum L.; Trigonella foenum-graecum L.; diabetes; glucose intestinal absorption; oral glucose tolerance test.