Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, and insufficiency of insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Mounting evidence in both experimental and clinical studies suggests that oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and its complications. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of methanolic leaf extract of Ficus hispida (FHLE) on antioxidants, lipid peroxidation and inflammatory markers like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) activity in the brain of diabetic encephalopathy (DE) rats. DE rats displayed declined levels of endogenous antioxidants [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH)], as well as elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and TNF-α. However, treatment with FHLE significantly precluded these alterations in the DE rats, demonstrating that FHLE can alter the oxidant stress and consequently improve the brain homeostasis.
