PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECTS OF COMBINED DOSES OF MOMORDICA CHARANTIA AND STEVIA REBAUDIANA AGAINST STZ INDUCED DIABETES MODEL

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent pathogenic conditions which affect around 6% of the world population. Diabetes mellitus is a systemic metabolic disorder, which is characterized by hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperaminoacidemia, and hypoinsulinemia. Although, there are different approaches to minimize the ill effects of diabetes and its complications, herbal formulations are favored due to lesser side effects and low cost. Both Momordica charantia and Stevia rebaudiana are reported to possess the anti-diabetic, however their synergistic or combined effects are unclear. The perception of polyherbalism is given in Sharangdhar Samhita: Ayurvedic literature, which dates back to around 1300 AD. Polyherbal treatment improves the therapeutic efficacy and balances the concentrations of individual herbs, thereby reducing adverse events. This research aims to evaluate the anti-diabetic activity of the polyherbal dose of Momordica charantia and Stevia rebaudiana against their individual doses, the disease control group and the standard drug Glibenclamide. This research also presents the comparative study among the individual and combined doses of Momordica charantia and Stevia rebaudiana for their anti-diabetic activities in the STZ administered healthy albino rats. In comparison amongst the individual doses, the disease control and the standard drug Glibenclamide, the administration of the combined dose of Momordica charantia and Stevia rebaudiana show significant decrease (**p<0.005) in the blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TGL), and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Though, HDL levels were found to be significantly increased (***p<0.005).