Anti-diabetic properties of Tinospora cordifolia stem extracts on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Abstract

The oral administration of various extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) of Tinospora cordifolia stem (TCS) were found to have potent antidiabetic activity that reduces blood sugar level in streptozotocin-(STZ) induced diabetic rats. In this study, the chronic (100 days) antihyperglycemic effect of the extracts at a dose of 250 mg/kg b.w.p.d of TCS were investigated. Insulin was used as a reference drug at a dose of 3 I.U/kg.b.w.p.d. Fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1C), serum insulin, C-peptide and liver enzymes levels were evaluated in normal, diabetic and treated rats. Supplementation of methanol extract significantly reduces the fasting blood glucose level when compared to other 2 extracts. Moreover this supplementation significantly decreases the glycosylated hemoglobin level as compare to diabetic control (p < 0.001), reduced glucokinase and increased glucose-6-phoaphatase activity were reversed significantly by the treatment of TCS methanol extract in respect to diabetic group. In the TCS treated groups, the insulin and C-peptide levels were improved which shows the regeneration of β-cell which secretes insulin,  histopathological studies of pancreas of TCS methanol extract treated groups substantiate the regenerating capacity of extract. Key words: Tinospora cordifolia, streptozotocin, hypoglycemic, glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1C), serum insulin, C-peptide, glucokinase and glucose-6-phoaphatase.