DOSE DEPENDENT ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY OF HYDRO-METHANOLIC EXTRACT (3:2) OF FLOWER OF M. BALBISIANA IN STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC MALE RAT

Background: Musa balbisiana Colla (Musaceae family) is used as folkloric medicine throughout India. Objective: To search out the potent dose of a hydro-methanolic extract of Musa balbisiana flower for antidiabetic and antioxidative activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat. Material and Methods: The extract of the said plant part was administered orally at the dose of 5, 10 or 20 mg /100 g body weight for 28 days. Diabetes was induced by a single intramuscular injection of streptozotocin at the dose of 4 mg / 0.1 ml of citrate buffer / 100 g body weight to Wistar stain albino male rat. Biochemical, histological and thin layer chromatographic profiles were studied. Results: Treatment with 10 mg or 20 mg doses exhibited a significant recovery from diabetes by decreasing fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels along with increasing the serum insulin level. Significant recovery was noted in antioxidative and carbohydrate metabolic enzymes’ activities in hepatic and skeletomuscular tissues in diabetic rat. The extract had no metabolic toxicity. From the qualitative phytochemical analysis of said extract, the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, and triterpenes was noted. Discussion and Conclusion: Results indicated that 10 mg dose was considered as a minimum but effective dose. The higher dose was not more effective probably due to the saturation of the receptors of the concerned phytomolecules present in the extract, and therefore the remedial effect was not improved by higher doses. So, it may be concluded that 10 mg is the potent dose for the correction of diabetes as well as diabetes-induced oxidative stress.