Assessment Of Antidiabetic Potential Of Few Medicinal Plants In Experimental Animals

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogenous chronic metabolic disorder in which the pancreas could not produce insulin sufficiently or when the body may not effectively utilize the insulin it produces. The prevalence rate of diabetes among adults were 422 million in the year 2014 compared to 108 million in the year 1980. Two indigenous plants such as Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Convolvulaceae) and Blumea lacera DC. (Asteraceae) were selected based upon their folkloric and ethnomedicinal information. Cuscuta reflexa is popularly known as Dodder which is a parasitic climber plant without chlorophyll. This plant is commonly known as Amarbel, Akashbel and traditionally used as an antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, arthritis, antifertility, antioxidant etc. Blumea lacera is commonly known as Bonomula, Janglimuli, kukrshingha having strong odour of turpentine. This plant is bitter, astringent, acrid, digestive, febrifuge etc as mentioned in Ayurveda. It is found commonly roadside, near dry ponds and wastelands. the and#945;-amylase inhibitory potential, antioxidant potential, taxonomic position and isolated flavonoid compounds makes Blumea lacera a suitable plant for the evaluation of hypoglycaemic and/or antidiabetic effects. newlineObjective newlineThe study aims at scientific validation of folkloric claim of aerial parts of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Convolvulaceae) and Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC. (Asteraceae) as antidiabetic agents and efforts had been given to identify the compounds present in the fractions of these plants responsible for the said activities. newlineMaterials and Methods newlineThe methanol and aqueous extracts were prepared by cold maceration extraction process for both the plants and subjected to the scientific evaluation of hypoglycaemic and antidiabetic effects using normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Dose levels were fixed at 200 and 400 mg/kg after conducting the acute oral toxicity in mice by following OECD guidelines. Effects of extracts were tested on blood glucose levels by various experimental models like oral glucose toler