Abstract

ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY OF THE METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF THE LEAVES OF BASELLA RUBRA L. AGAINST ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETES IN ALBINO RATS

Karunasri Alli*, A. Thanga Thirupathi, K.N.V. Rao, Asia Begum, Suhas Agey, Rajeswar Dutt

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which the carbohydrates and lipid metabolism is improperly regulated by insulin. Many indigenous Indian medicinal plants have been found to be successfully used to treat Diabetes. Herbal drug are considered to be less toxic and free from side effects than synthetic ones. Alloxan induced diabetes has been observed to cause massive reduction of β-cells of islets of langerhan’s leading to hyperglycemia. Rats treated with Alloxan (150mg/kg), for 72 hours, after showed an increase in the concentration of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterols, LDL cholesterol, SGOT, SGPT and decreases in the level of HDL. In the present investigation and attempt is made to study the beneficial effects of Basella rubra L. in Alloxan induces diabetic rats. The diabetes-induced rats were fed with Basella rubra L. (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight orally through gavage) when tested after ingestion they reduced the concentration of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL, SGOT, SGPT and raised the level of HDL in the blood of Alloxan induced rats. The results were compared with glibenclamide treated group. In histopathology of liver and kidney the changes caused after induction of diabetes was global microvasicular steatosis liver and vacuoles observed in diabetes rats in kidney section. After fed with plant extract no histopathological changes were noticed. The Anthocyanins in plants can reduce the levels of sugars in diabetic condition and also help in reverses in histopathological changes in liver and kidney.

Keywords: Basella rubra L., Anthocyanins, Glibenclamide, Alloxan, Blood glouse levels, Histopathology.