Abstract

ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECT OF THE ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF DRIED FRUITS OF ADANSONIA DIGITATA LINN.

*M. Saravanaraj, P. Muthusamy, R. Radha and A. Jerad Suresh

ABSTRACT

Nature always stands as a golden mark to exemplify the outstanding phenomena of symbiosis. Natural products obtained from plant, animal and minerals have been the basis of the treatment of human disease. Today it is estimated that about 80% of people in developing countries still relays on traditional medicine based largely on species of plants and animals for their primary health care. The World Health Organization has defined traditional medicine (including herbal drugs) as comprising therapeutic practices that have been in existence, often for hundreds of years, before the development and spread of modern medicine and are still in use today. The plant based raw materials are safe, preventive, curative and are particularly useful in achieving the goal of “Health to All” in a cost effective manner. The various indigenous systems such as Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani and Allopathy use several plant species to treat different ailments. Herbal medicines are currently in demand and their popularity is increasing day by day. Particularly, the herbal medicines are getting more importance in the treatment of diabetes and others ailments because of the hazardous adverse effect of the current therapy used to treat those ailments using synthetic drugs. Herbal medicine is free from side effects and less costly when compared to the synthetic hypoglycemic agents. The present study will help the industry to produce herbal drug with less side effect, less costly, thus affordable and more effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. In vivo model was utilized to test the anti diabetic activity.

Keywords: Adansonia digitata L., anti-diabetic activity, body weight, histopathology, rats.