Possible amelioration of atherogenic diet induced dyslipidemia,
hypothyroidism and hyperglycemia by the peel extracts of Mangifera indica,
Cucumis melo and Citrullus vulgaris fruits in rats
Affiliations: Endocrine Research Unit, Devi Ahilya University,
Indore, MP, India
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Hamendra Singh Parmar, Thyroid
Research Unit, School of Life Sciences, Devi Ahilya University, Takshashila
Campus, Khandwa Road, Indore, 452017, M.P., India. Tel.: +91 731 2477166; Fax:
+91 731 2360026; E-mail: hamendrasingh999@yahoo.co.in
Abstract: Hitherto unknown efficacy of the peel extracts of Mangifera
indica (MI), Cucumis melo (CM) and Citrullus vulgaris (CV) fruits
in ameliorating the diet-induced alterations in dyslipidemia, thyroid
dysfunction and diabetes mellitus have been investigated in rats. In one study, out of 4 different doses (50–300 mg/kg), 200 mg/kg of
MI and 100 mg/kg for other two peel extracts could inhibit lipidperoxidation
(LPO) maximally in liver. In the second experiment rats were maintained on
pre-standardized atherogenic diet CCT (supplemented with 4% cholesterol,
1% cholic acid and 0.5% 2-thiouracil) to induce dyslipidemia,
hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus and the effects of the test peel extracts
(200 mg/kg of MI and 100 mg/kg for CM and CV for 10 consecutive days) were
studied by examining the changes in tissue LPO (in heart, liver and kidney),
concentrations of serum lipids, thyroid hormones, insulin and glucose. Rats,
treated simultaneously with either of the peel extracts reversed the CCT-diet
induced increase in the levels of tissue LPO, serum lipids, glucose, creatinine
kinase-MB and decrease in the levels of thyroid hormones and insulin indicating
their potential to ameliorate the diet induced alterations in serum lipids,
thyroid dysfunctions and hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus. A phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of a high amount of
polyphenols and ascorbic acid in the test peel extracts suggesting that the
beneficial effects could be the result of the rich content of polyphenols and
ascorbic acid in the studied peels.
