Effect of Trigonella foenum graecum L on the Activities of Antioxidant Enzyme and Their Expression in Tissues of Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is a life-threatening metabolic disorder. This study was undertaken to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antioxidative potential of seed powder of Trigonella foenum-graecum L in alloxan (55 mg/kg) induced diabetic rats. The results obtained showed that extensive oxidative stress is generated in tissues of diabetic rats as evidenced by increased production of hydrogen peroxide, increased accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonanal (4HNE) and decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) in tissues of diabetic rats. It was observed that the transcription of genes of SOD, GPx, and CAT was also significantly decreased when compared with control. Treatment of Trigonella for 15 days to diabetic rats showed hypoglycemic effect and improved the altered levels of H2O2, MDA, and 4HNE, the activities of SOD, GPx, and CAT as well as transcription of these genes in the liver and the brain of diabetic rats.