**5. Conlusion**

The kidneys remove metabolic wastes such as urea, uric acid, creatinine and ions and thus optimum chemical composition of body fluids is maintained. The concentrations of these metabolites increase in blood during renal diseases or renal damage associated with uncon‐ trolled diabetes mellitus. Blood urea and creatinine are considered as significant markers of renal dysfunction [50]. Observed increase in urea and creatinine level in the diabetic control were reduced following the administration of ethanolic extract of *Acacia ataxacantha* bark to a level close to the value obtained for the normal control. Due to continuous catabolism of amino acid during diabetic state, high quantity of urea will be formed from urea cycle. On the other hand, it may be as a result of repression of glycolytic enzymes, thus glucose is channeled into pentose phosphate pathway resulting in the increased availability of ribose-5-phosphate which may lead to increased formation of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP) and

Lipids play a vital role in the pathogenesis of diabetic mellitus. Diabetic is associated with profound alterations in the plasma lipid, triglycerides and lipoprotein profile and with an increased risk of coronary heart disease [52]. The most common lipid abnormalities in diabetes are hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. The increase in the levels of serum lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides in the diabetic rats may be due to the fact that under normal circumstances, insulin activates lipoprotein lipase and hydrolyses triglycerides. Insulin increases uptake of fatty acids into adipose tissue and increases triglyceride synthesis. Moreover, insulin inhibits lipolysis. In case of insulin deficiency, lipolysis is not inhibited but an increased lipolysis which finally leads to hyperlipidemia. In diabetic condition, the concentration of serum free acids is elevated as a result of free fatty acid outflow from fat deposited, where the balance of the free fatty acid esterification-triglyceride lipolysis cycle is

HDL is an anti-atherogenic lipoprotein. It transports cholesterol from peripheral tissues into the liver and thereby acts as a protective factor against coronary heart disease. The level of HDL-cholesterol slightly increased after administration of ethanolic extract of *Acacia ataxacan‐ tha* bark at 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg b.w. This might be due to increase in the activity of lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT), which may contribute to the regulation of blood lipids [54]. Administration of ethanolic extract of *Acacia ataxacantha* bark lowered cholesterol level at all doses while 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg b.w were able to reduce triglycerides and LDLcholesterol levels. Significant lowering of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and rise in HDL-cholesterol is a very desirable biochemical state for prevention of atherosclerosis

Liver is the vital organ of metabolism, detoxification, storage and excretion of xenobiotic and their metabolites [56]. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin and bilirubin are considered as part of liver toxicity markers [57]. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals, change in the serum enzymes is directly related to change in the metabolic functions of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin and bilirubin [58, 59]. It has been reported that the increased aminotransferase activities under insulin deficiency [60] were responsible for the increased gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis during diabetic. Aspartate aminotransferase is an enzyme found mainly in the cell of the liver, heart, skeletal

ultimately resulting in high concentration of uric acid in the blood [51].

displaced in favour of lipolysis [53].

16 Antioxidant-Antidiabetic Agents and Human Health

and ischaemic conditions [55].

Overall, it may be concluded that ethanolic extract of *Acacia ataxacantha bark* at 125 mg/kg b.w exhibited promising antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Thus, the antihyperglyceamic and anti-dyslipidemic activity of ethanolic extract of *Acacia ataxacantha* bark could represent a protective mechanism against the development of atherosclerosis, especially in diabetic condition and may prove to be of clinical importance in the management of type 2 diabetes. However, this may not be safe at higher doses.

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