Introduction:

medicinal plants have demonstrated therapeutic applications for treating different diseases, including chronic and degenerative diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.

Objectives:

to assess the weight control and the antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Stevia rebaudiana (creole variety INIFAP C01) leaves and stems cultivated in the Muna and Mocochá municipalities (Yucatán, México).

Methods:

aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves (HAMU and HEMU, respectively) and stems (TAMU and TEMU, respectively) from Muna, and aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves (HAMO and HEMO, respectively) and stems (TAMO and TEMO, respectively) from Mocochá were orally administered to Wistar male rats induced to metabolic syndrome. Weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in blood plasma were measured.

Results:

TAMU and HAMO samples reduced weight by 1.91 % and 1.57 %, respectively. On the other hand, HEMU and HAMU samples reduced systolic (PAS) and diastolic (PAD) blood pressure levels by 29.31-30.47 % and 36.69-36.98 %. In the glucose tolerance test (GTT) HEMU showed a reduction in blood sugar levels of 10.94 % on the first day, and of 14.83 % on day 30. TEMO and TAMO samples showed lower malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations of 7.0 and 7.3 μM, respectively. HEMU and TEMU showed a higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentration of 1.29 and 1.12 U/mL, respectively.

Conclusions:

extracts of S. rebaudiana can help to control weight gain, to decrease blood pressure and the incidence of diabetes, and to reduce oxidative damage.

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