Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIDIABETIC EFFECT OF CITRULLUS LANATUS (THUNB) SEEDS AND SARACA ASOCA (ROXB.) DE.WILD. FLOWERS IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Jayavelu Sathya and Francis Gricilda Shoba*

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the in-vivo antidiabetic potential of the methanolic extracts of Citrullus lanatus seeds (CLS) and Saraca asoca flowers (SAF) in the streptozotocin (STZ) -induced rat model. Methods: Acute oral toxicity study was performed according to the OECD test guidelines and antidiabetic activity was carried out using STZ-induced diabetes in the male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were treated with methanolic extracts of CLS and SAF at the dose of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of b.wt. administered orally for 28 days. Metformin was used as a standard drug at a dose of 100 mg/kg, b.wt. The antioxidant and histopathological studies were carried out using standard protocols. Results: The extracts did not show any sign of toxicity at a dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight. Oral administration of both the extracts at a dosage of 400 mg/kg body weight for 28 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose, lipid profile (cholesterol, triglyceride), hepatic and renal markers (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, creatinine, urea and protein) when compared with the diabetic control. In in-vivo antioxidant enzymes study on both the extracts showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in LPO level and increase in SOD and CAT levels as compared to the diabetic control. Histopathological studies of the liver, kidney and pancreas revealed normal histological pattern in the normal and treated groups. Conclusion: The experimental data revealed that both the extracts, CLS and SAF have significant antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activity in streptozotocin-induced rats compared to the standard drug.

Keywords: Acute oral toxicity, Antidiabetic, Citrullus lanatus seeds, Saraca asoca flowers, Histopathology, pancreas.