Antihyperglycemic effect of Coscinium fenestratum and Catharanthus roseus in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Introduction : Diabetes mellitus, the life-threatening endocrine disorder, affects 170 million people worldwide every year. Statistical projections about India suggest that 57 million Indians will be affected by diabetes mellitus by the year 2025, making the country with highest number of diabetics in the world. Alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in experimental animals is commonly used to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of medicinal plants and their constituents. The present study has investigated the antidiabetic efficacy of ethanolic extract of Coscinium fenestratum stem and Catharanthus roseus leaves in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Diabetes mellitus was induced in overnight fasted (>8 hours) Wistar rats by single intraperitoneal injection of freshly prepared alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg bw) solution in physiological saline. The mechanistic pathway for the antidiabetic potential of these plants was evaluated by analyzing the status of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, glycosylated hemoglobin, activities of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes, and glycogen content. The antidiabetic effect of these plant products was also compared with the standard reference drug, glibenclamide. Results: The study revealed that the ethanolic extract of C. fenestratum stem and C. roseus leaves have potent antidiabetic efficacy in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The antidiabetic efficacy was also much comparable with that of glibenclamide. Conclusions: The present study concludes that the ethanolic extract of C. fenestratum stem and C. roseus leaves have potent antihyperglycemic effect in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. C. fenestratum and C. roseus could therefore be used as an alternative remedy for diabetes mellitus and its complications.