ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITY OF HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS OF ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE, AEGLE MARMELOS AND ACHYRANTHES ASPERA IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Diabetes mellitus is a major endocrine metabolic disorder of multiple etiologies characterized by chronic hyperglycemia; with disturbances of carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism. It is caused by the deficiency or ineffective production of insulin by pancreas, which results in increase or decrease in concentrations of glucose in the blood. There is number of chemical agents available to control and to treat diabetic patients, but total recovery from diabetes has not been reported till date. An alternative to these synthetic agents, many herbal plants with hypoglycaemic properties are known from across the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed 21,000 plants, which are used for medicinal purposes around the world. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-diabetic activity of the hydroalcoholic extracts of bark of Anacardium occidentale, whole aerial part of Achyranthes aspera and leaf of Aegle marmelos. Wistar rats were made diabetic by a single dose of alloxan monohydrate (120 mg/kg, i.p.). Hydroalcoholic extracts were screened for antidiabetic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic rats at a concentration of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of body weight in different groups of 6 diabetic rats each orally once a day for 15 days. Glibenclamide is also given to another group to support the result at a dose of 600 µg/kg of body weight orally once a day for 15 days. Blood glucose levels, body weights, lipid profile of rats were measured. Oral administration of the extracts for 15 days caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction in blood glucose levels and lipid profile in diabetic rats. The body weight of diabetic animals was also improved after the administration of extracts.