In past there have been many medicinal plants, which have been used in traditional medicines for their antihyperglycemic properties without any scientific support and pharmacological evidence. The aqueous extract of Withania coagulans dunal fruit has been taken to evaluate the antihyperglycemic activity in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The plant is known as 'the cheese maker' or 'vegetable rennet' because fruits and leaves of the plant are used as a coagulant. The milk coagulating property of the fruit is attributed to the pulp and husk berries which posses an enzyme which has milk coagulating activity an antihyperglycemic activity of aqueous extract has not been yet done, as no such reports are available in the literature through the activity is reported. The scientific evaluation of its antihyperglycemic activity was, therefore, explored and also compared with the effect of a standard hypoglycemic drug, glibenclamide. A single oral administration of variable dose levels (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.wt) of aqueous extract led to lowering of blood glucose level in normal as well as in diabetic rats. In acute treatment maximum % reduction in glucose level (57.02%) was seen with 300mg/kg b. wt WCD at 6 hr while with standard drug maximum % reduction (62.25%) at 6 hr was found. In subacute study the maximum % reduction in blood glucose level was found (57.22%) with WCD aq. extract in dose 300 mg/kg b. wt which is slightly lesser then the % reduction seen with standard drug (64.52%) respectively. Both the doses 100 & 200 mg/kg b. wt of WCD showed significant effect (p<.05) at 4 hr and highly significant (p<0.01) at 6 hr while in chronic treatment both the doses showed significant reduction in blood glucose from 14 th day to 28 th days. The findings from this study suggest that the aqueous extract of these fruits may be prescribed as adjunct to dietary therapy and drug treatment for controlling diabetes mellitus.

Background:The prevalence of diabetes mellitus continues to rise worldwide and treatment with oral hypoglycemic drugs leads to numerous side effects and huge monetary expenditure. Therefore active research on identification of new antidiabetic drugs with minimal side effects from medicinal plants is a challenge according to WHO recommendations. In this aspect, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the antihyperglycemic potential of Pithecellobium dulesplant in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetes was induced in male wister rats by intraperitoneal administration of STZ (45 mg/kg. b.w.).Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were measured by glucose-oxidase & peroxidase method. The statistical analysis of results was carried out using and one-way analysis (ANOVA) followed by Student t-test. Results and Discussion: Antihyperglycemic potentials of plant of Pithecellobium dules extract has been investigated at the doses of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight orally administered to streptozocin-induced diabetes male wistar rats. Treatment of streptozocin diabetic male wistar rats with the extracts caused a significant (P<0.01) reduction in the blood glucose levels. The highest activity resides at the dose of 600 mg/kg body weight with meanpercentage blood glucose level change of 55.32% after 6 hours of extract administration while the other two doses 150 and 300 mg/kg have blood glucose level change of 40.45% and 47.14% respectively after 6 hours of extract administration. This result suggests that the Pithecellobium dules plant extractspossess antihyperglycemic effect on streptozocin-induced diabetic male wistar rats. Conclusions:The plant extract is capable of managing antihyperglycemia and complications of diabetes in STZ induced diabetic rats. Hence, this plant may be considered as one of the potential sources for the isolation of new oral anti hypoglycemic agent(s)