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Abstract

ABSTRACT:Decalepis hamiltonii Wight and Arn. is an indigenous medicinal plant, which has a folk reputation in Western and southern India as hypoglycemic agent. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of ethanolic seed extract of Decalepis hamiltonii in alloxan induced diabetic Albino rats. Blood glucose levels and body weights of control and diabetic rats were monitored. In the present study activities of liver enzymes such as glucokinase, glucose -6-phosphatase and fructose -1-6-diphosphatase were also determined. Glibenclamide an antidiabetic oral drug was used as reference in the present investigation. Oral administration of ethanolic seed extract (20 mg/kg body weight) for 21 days resulted in a significant (P<0.05) decline in blood glucose from 264.03±10.07 to 90.16±2.82 mg/dl and significant recovery in body weight of diabetic rats. There was also a significant (P<0.05) reduction in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1-6-disphosphatase , glutathione levels, lipid peroxidation as oxidative stress γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase, Glutathione S-transferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), acid and alkaline phosphatases in liver were also evaluated. Further there was significant (P<0.05) increase in the activity of glucokinase in liver of diabetic rats when compared with that of diabetic control. Results indicate increased metabolization of glucose in treated rats. Increased levels of lipid peroxidation measured as 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) indicative of oxidative stress in diabetic rats were also normalized by treatment. The study clearly shows that the ethanolic seed extract of Decalepis hamiltonii possesses potent antidiabetic activity.