{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T02:03:09Z","timestamp":1784167389884,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784073600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism dysregulation, leading to severe systemic complications. Increasing interest has been directed toward plant-derived bioactive compounds as potential therapeutic alternatives. The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate the phytochemical profile and biological effects of Acanthus balcanicus and Vaccinium myrtillus in a streptozotocin-induced experimental model of diabetes mellitus. Methods: Aqueous extracts of both plant species were prepared and characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography and spectrophotometric assays to determine phenolic and flavonoid content. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH radical scavenging method. In vivo experiments were conducted on streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice over a five-week period, evaluating glycemic levels, lipid profile, body weight, food and water intake, and oxidative stress markers, including SOD, GPx, GR, and lipid peroxidation. Results: Both extracts exhibited antioxidant activity and contained measurable amounts of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Acanthus balcanicus demonstrated higher radical scavenging capacity, whereas Vaccinium myrtillus showed higher total flavonoid content. In vivo, administration of the plant extracts was associated with improvements in selected metabolic parameters compared with untreated diabetic animals. In particular, Acanthus balcanicus produced a marked reduction in blood glucose levels and improved lipid profile and oxidative stress markers under the present experimental conditions. Both extracts reduced hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and oxidative stress markers compared with the diabetic control group. Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary evidence that aqueous extracts of Acanthus balcanicus and Vaccinium myrtillus may exert glucose-lowering and antioxidant effects in a streptozotocin-induced experimental model of diabetes. Under the present experimental conditions, administration of Acanthus balcanicus was associated with greater improvement in selected metabolic and oxidative stress parameters than the botanical comparator Vaccinium myrtillus. However, these findings remain preliminary and require confirmation in dose\u2013response studies including a standard pharmacological control. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously because the study was conducted in a short-term animal model and did not include a positive pharmacological control or direct mechanistic validation. Further studies including standard antidiabetic drugs, insulin measurements, extended biochemical and histological evaluation, and mechanistic assays are required before any therapeutic relevance for diabetes management can be established.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph19071088","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T01:05:07Z","timestamp":1784163907000},"page":"1088","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Phytochemical and Preliminary Biological Evaluation of Acanthus balcanicus Aqueous Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Denisa Floriana Vasilica","family":"Pirscoveanu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristian Cosmin","family":"Arsenie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diana-Maria","family":"Trasca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adina","family":"Kamal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Popescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carmen","family":"Vladulescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Horticulture, Department of Biology and Environmental Engineering, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ion Dorin","family":"Pluta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medical and Behavioral Sciences, Constantin Br\u00e2ncu\u0219i University of T\u00e2rgu Jiu, 210185 Targu Jiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Renata Maria","family":"Varut","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Methodology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rodica","family":"Dirnu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medical and Behavioral Sciences, Constantin Br\u00e2ncu\u0219i University of T\u00e2rgu Jiu, 210185 Targu Jiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Stoica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Intensive Care and Anesthesia, Emergency County Hospital, 200349 Craiova, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"C\u00eer\u021b\u00een\u0103","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medical and Behavioral Sciences, Constantin Br\u00e2ncu\u0219i University of T\u00e2rgu Jiu, 210185 Targu Jiu, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gabriela","family":"Pura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Practice, Iuliu Ha\u021bieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2004","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.2004","article-title":"Diabetes mellitus, the fastest growing global public health concern: Early detection should be focused","volume":"7","author":"Hossain","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Sci. 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