ANTIDIABETIC, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-HYPERLIPIDAEMIC ACTIVITY OF CUCUMIS CALLOSUS IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Cucumis callosus (Rottl.) Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) is a highly branched very common prostate, perennial herb, distributed throughout India in the arid zones. Objective: To evaluate the antihyperglycemic potential of C. callosus fruit in experimental animal model. Materials and methods: Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (55 mg/kg body weight). Three days after STZ induction, the hyperglycemic rats were treated with MECC at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight (p.o.) daily for 15 days. Glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg, orally) was used as reference drug. The fasting blood glucose levels were measured on every 5th day during the 15 days of treatment. Serum biochemical parameters including lipid content were estimated. Results and discussion: MECC at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly (P < 0.01) and dose dependently reduced blood glucose levels towards normal as compared to that of STZ control group; the higher dose (400 mg/kg) being the most potent showing complete normalization of blood glucose levels. Serum biochemical parameters including lipid profile were significantly (p < 0.01) restored toward normal levels in MECC-treated rats as compared to STZ control group. Conclusion: The present study concludes that Cucumis callosus fruit demonstrated promising hypoglycemic action in STZ-induced diabetic rats substantiating its ethnomedicinal use