Asian Journal of Research and Reports in Hepatology

Background: Diabetes mellitus is frequently accompanied by hepatic dysfunction, dyslipidaemia, and impaired protein metabolism, which contribute substantially to disease progression and cardiovascular risk. Although Moringa oleifera and Tamarindus indica possess documented antidiabetic properties, evidence regarding their combined hepatoprotective and hypolipidaemic effects remains limited. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of methanolic extracts of M. oleifera leaves and T. indica seeds on liver function, protein metabolism, lipid profile, and hepatic histology in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats (180–200 g) were randomly assigned to six experimental groups (n = 5). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). Diabetic animals received oral administration of M. oleifera extract (250 mg/kg), T. indica extract (250 mg/kg), combined extracts (250 mg/kg + 250 mg/kg; total dose 500 mg/kg), or metformin (500 mg/kg) daily for 14 days. Serum total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined using standard biochemical methods. Liver tissues were examined histologically following haematoxylin and eosin staining. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Streptozotocin-induced diabetes significantly reduced serum total protein, albumin, globulin, and HDL-cholesterol while significantly increasing ALT, AST, ALP, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol compared with the normal control group (p < 0.05). Treatment with M. oleifera and T. indica, administered individually and in combination, significantly improved all biochemical parameters examined (p < 0.05). The combined treatment consistently produced greater restoration of serum protein profile, greater reductions in liver enzyme activities and atherogenic lipid parameters, and greater improvement in hepatic histological architecture than either extract administered alone, with effects approaching those observed in the metformin-treated group.

Conclusion: Combined administration of methanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves and Tamarindus indica seeds produced greater hepatoprotective and hypolipidaemic effects than either extract administered alone in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. These findings suggest that the combined administration of both plant extracts may provide complementary therapeutic benefits for mitigating diabetes-associated hepatic dysfunction and dyslipidaemia. Further mechanistic investigations and clinical studies are warranted to confirm these findings.