Pharmacological evaluation of Holarrhena antidysenterica (wall) for hypoglycemic activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

The methanolic, petroleum ether and aqueous extracts of Holarrhena antidysenterica (HAD) seeds were tested in the streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats for their effect on body weight, fasting serum glucose, serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, total protein, blood urea, urine glucose and liver glycogen levels. The diabetes was induced by single i.v. injection of STZ at the dose of 35 mg/kg dissolved in 0.1M citrate buffer of pH 4.5. The diabetic rats, with the fasting serum glucose above 200 mg/dl, were included in the study and randomly divided into six groups of ten animals each of male in sex along with the normal control group. The diabetic rats were treated with the glibenclamide, methanolic (MEHAD), petroleum ether (PEHAD) and aqueous (AEHAD) extracts of HAD for 18 days. The diabetic rats treated with MEHAD, PEHAD and AEHAD showed significant reduction in fasting serum glucose, serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, total protein, blood urea, urine glucose and protection from the loss of body weight and increase in liver glycogen content during the treatment period these effects were comparable to those seen in the glibenclamide treated group of rats. This suggests that the HAD extracts posses anti-diabetic activity and further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism of action and to know the active principles involved in producing the effect..