PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ALCOHOLIC EXTRACT OF EUPHORBIA ANTIQUORUM WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON DIABETIC COMPLICATION

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism characterized by increased fasting and post prandial blood sugar levels. Diabetes is the most common cause of progressive kidney failure leading to dialysis or transplantation. Nephropathy is reported to develop in 30-40% of patients with diabetes and has become a leading cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide. The various parts of Euphorbia antiquorum have been associated with a number of pharmacological activities which are cytotoxic, hepato-protective and antioxidant. The juice of the plant is acrid, anti-inflammatory, purgative and is useful in rheumatism, dropsy, gout, neuropathy, deafness, cough. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of Euphorbia antiquorum on alloxan induced diabetic nephropathy in Wistar rats. Experimental diabetic nephropathy was induced by a single intraperitoneal (i.p) administration of alloxan 120 mg/kg body weight (b.w.). Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, diabetic control, diabetic control with standard drug and diabetic treated with ethanolic extract of Euphorbia antiquorum at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses respectively. The group I animals were non diabetic and served as   normal control and received 0.9% normal saline. Six healthy animals with moderate hyperglycemia, i.e. serum glucose between the normal ranges were randomly selected. Group III & IV Diabetic rats were treated with ethanolic plant extract of EAE by gavages (200,400 mg/kg/day b.w., p.o) in 0.9% normal saline once daily for 21 days. All animals were treated for 21 days and sacrificed on the last day. The body weight, plasma glucose and blood urea nitrogen parameters were investigated in various groups of rats. EAE at 200 and 500 mg/kg, in a dose-dependent manner, significantly improve all levels as compared to diabetic rats.