HYPOGLYCEMIC ACTIVITY PROFILE OF POLYHERBAL FORMULATION (PF) AND POTENTIATION OF HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT OF METFORMIN IN RODENTS

Polyherbal formulation (HF) containing different herbs have been used to treat diabetic patients by ayurvedic practitioners in India. The present study reports the effect of HF alone and with metformin on different rat models of hyperglycemia. HF treatment with HF alone and in combination with metformin elicited a significant hypoglycemic effect on epinephrine hyperglycemia and alloxan diabetic rats. HF treatment also altered the glucose-tolerance curve pattern both in normal and diabetic rats. Further, HF treatment alone and with metformin increased liver glycogen, glucose transfer in the liver, enhanced glucose uptake process in peripheral muscles, and also improved architecture of β-islets of Langerhans of diabetic rats. The combination of HF with metformin elicited a greater degree of hypoglycemic activity, which was reflected both on blood glucose level as well as other biochemical parameters studied. The hypoglycemic effect of HF may be mediated through pancreatic as well as extrapancreatic systems. Further, HF combination with metformin seems to be useful in diabetes mellitus and needs to be investigated on human subjects to establish such potentiation hypoglycemic effect of metformin.