Evaluation of Polyphenol and Flavonoid Profiles and the Antioxidant Effect of Carduus Acanthoides Hydroalcoholic Extract Compared with Vaccinium Myrtillus in an Animal Model of Diabetes Mellitus

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This study was aimed to evaluate in vitro total content of polyphenols and flavonoids and in vivo antioxidant effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Carduus acanthoides L. as compared to that of Vaccinium myrtillus L. The total content of polyphenols and flavonoids was evaluated by a spectrophotometric method. The chemical composition of plant extracts was determined using thin-layer chromatography, HPLC, and GC-MS techniques. Tests for the antioxidant activity were performed using streptozotocin-diabetic adult Swiss albino mice distributed in four groups, including three control groups – mice with normal pancreatic function (group I), diabetic mice (group II), and diabetic mice treated with V. myrtillus extract recognized for its antioxidant effect (group IV) – and the test group of diabetic mice treated with C. acanthoides extract at 150 mg/kg b.w. (group III). At the end of experiments, the animals were sacrificed and the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were tested, the level of lipid peroxides was determined, and a histological analysis of the pancreas was performed. Both plant extracts contain polyphenols and flavonoids in significant amounts due to which they have antioxidant properties. The antioxidant enzymes exhibited higher activities in mice treated with C. acanthoides extract, but the level of lipid peroxides was significantly lower in mice treated with V. myrtillus extract.