ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIAL OF ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS LINN. IN ALLOXAN- INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Abelmoschus esculentus Linn. (Malvaceae) is described in medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The monech seeds of Abelmoschus esculentus having potential in the development of a drug for diabetes due to their antidiabetic activity. The hypoglycemic effect of the extract was tested in normal, glucose loading and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight), were administered orally to male Wistar albino rats. The parameters studied included oral glucose tolerance test in blood, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and glycated hemoglobin levels, liver glycogen content, serum lipid profile, and changes in body weights. The extracts produced a dose-dependent fall in fasting blood glucose (FBG). After 15 days of treatment with extracts, the maximum reduction in FBG (35.14%) was observed in diabetic rats treated with ethanolic extract 500 mg/kg dose. Serum lipid levels were reversed towards near normal, and control in the loss of body weight was observed in treated rats as compared to diabetic control. The extract treatment also showed a significant increase in the liver glycogen and a significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin levels.