Flowers of Nymphaea stellata Willd. (Nymphaeaceae) are used in the Indian traditional system of medicine to treat diabetes mellitus but have not been scientifically investigated. Hence, the current study was aimed to evaluate the hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effect on normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Hydroethanol extract (HEE) of Nymphaea stellata at an oral dose of 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg was given, and blood glucose level (BGL) on normoglycemic and, diabetic rats and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were evaluated. HEE of the flowers did not show significant reduction on BGL in normoglycemic rats but significantly (p < 0.001) reduced the BGL in hyperglycemic animals by improving OGTT. These results clearly show that flowers of N. stellata do not have hypoglycemic activity in normoglycemic rats but have an antihyperglycemic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of T. arjuna stembark extract and to study the activities of hexokinase, aldolase and phosphoglucoisomerase, and gluconeogenic enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase in liver and kidney of normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats. Oral administration of ethanolic extract of bark (250 and 500mg/kg body weight) for 30 days, resulted in significant decrease of blood glucose from 302.67±22.35 to 82.50±04.72 and in a decrease in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-disphosphatase, aldolase and an increase in the activity of phosphoglucoisomerase and hexokinase in tissues. However, in the case of 250 mg/kg body weight of extract, less activity was observed. The study clearly shows that the bark extract ofT. arjuna possesses potent antidiabetic activity.

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by elevated blood glucose level, altered lipids, carbohydrates and protein metabolism. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the hypoglycemic potential of hydroethanolic extract of Kaempferia galanga rhizome and to assess haematological profile in diabetic rats. Adult male albino rats of Wistar strain were induced with diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (60 mg/kg body weight). Changes in haematological profile reported by STZ induced diabetic rats were found to be restored to normal condition upon administration of K. galanga extract in treated groups indicating hematoprotective effect of the extract. Diabetic rats exhibited increased level of serum glucose and reduced body weight compared to normal control rats. The K. galanga rhizome extract treated animals exhibited significant increase in body weight and reduced level of blood glucose thereby restoring to near normal levels. The present findings indicate that K. galanga rhizome can be considered for treating diabetes induced complications.

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