An Assessment of In-vivo and In-silico Diabetes Healing Potentialities of Terminalia chebula against Diverse Disturbed Pathological State in Experimental Rodent Model

Abstract

Terminalia chebula (T. chebula) is a widely used medicinal plant that possesses numerous therapeutic properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective activity. In this study, the ethanolic extract of T. chebula was observed to significantly improve the condition of alloxan-induced diabetic rats in a dose-dependent manner. A lower dose (250mg) of T. chebula significantly (p<0.05) reversed the altered physiological states of alloxan-induced diabetic rats, but a higher dose (650mg) yielded greater therapeutic effects. A dose-dependent restoration was also recorded in the levels of SGPT, SGOT, creatinine, HDL, LDL, and triglyceride levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats that received three distinct doses (low, medium, high) of the test extract. Afterward, the diabetes healing potentialities of T. chebula were compared to those of commercially available medications. This study revealed that different doses of ethanolic extracts of T. chebula fruit had similar therapeutic results in treating hyperglycemia as existing conventional medications. A ligand library of the fruits’ constituents was prepared through literature mining, and the anti-diabetic activities of the ligands and their ADMET properties were assayed in silico. The molecular docking studies indicated that the anti-diabetic activity of the extract is likely mediated through the inhibition of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV, but further research on this was deemed necessary. The current study ascertains the anti-diabetic potentialities of this medicinal plant and opines that comprehensive in vivo and in vitro analysis of the constituents be carried out  to identify and further develop the actual molecules responsible for anti-diabetic activity.