HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT OF ACALYPHA INDICA LINN. PLANT EXTRACTS ON STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETES IN RAT

The plant Acalypha indica Linn.  is commonly known  as Indian Acalypha  and it belongs to the family  Euphorbiaceae, found in all parts of the tropics. This herbs found in fields and wastes places throughout the hotter parts of the world. The plant has wide uses in the traditional   medicines of   various countries and reportedly possesses diuretic, purgative and anthelmintic properties, besides being also used for bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, scabies and other cutaneous diseases. In the present study different extract  of  Acalypha indica plant was evaluated  on  fasting  and  posts  prandial  blood sugar in both insulin and non insulin dependent diabetes  mellitus  rats. The induction of diabetes was done by using streptozotocin in neonates. Oral administration of petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts of the bark (100 mg/kg, p.o.) for 21 days caused a decrease in fasting blood sugar (FBS) in diabetic rats. Among all the extracts, methanol extract was found to lower the FBS significantly (P<0.001) in diabetic rats. Methanol extract also caused a significant decrease (P<0.01) in post prandial blood sugar level in diabetic rats. Results of the test were compared with the standard antidiabetic drug glibenclamide (5mg/kg, p.o). Thus the   present study indicates that the methanol extract of Acalypha indica possess antidiabetic activity.