ABSTRACT
The present study was performed to explore the antihyperglyceamic activity of ethanolic extract of leaves of Cissus quadrangularis against alloxan induced diabetic rats. Ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis and glyburide were administered orally in alloxan induced diabetic rats. In the acute study, the serum glucose level was estimated at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h after drug administration. The subacute study involved repeated administration of the drugs for 28 days, a serum glucose level estimated at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. In the OGTT, D-glucose (2.5 g/kg) was administered in diabetic rats half an hour after pre-treatment with EtCQ and glyburide. Serum glucose levels were estimated 30 min prior to glucose administration and at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min after glucose loading. In EtCQ (400 mg/kg), the onset was 4 h, the peak effect was 6 h but the effect waned at 24 h. In subacute study, repeated administration (once a day for 28 days) of the glyburide and EtCQ caused a significant reduction in the serum glucose level as compared to the vehicle treated group. EtCQ (400 mg/kg) treatment prevented a decrease in the body weight of the diabetic rats. In the OGTT, EtCQ (200 & 400 mg/kg) increased the glucose threshold at 30 min after the administration of glucose. The EtCQ (400 mg/kg) showed significant antihyperglyceamic activity than EtCQ (100 and 200 mg/kg). It can be concluded that ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis has antihyperglyceamic activity.
ABSTRACT
The antioxidant activities of the crude hydro-alcoholic extract (CE) and its four fractions viz. methanol (MF), ethyl acetate (EF), n-Butanol (BF), and precipitated aqueous (PAF) of A.racemosus roots tested decreased in the order of EF > MF > CE > BF > PAF when investigated by DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Under iron induced lipid peroxidation almost similar results were observed except that the activity was more in PAF than BF. Hepatoprotective activity of the extracts was also demonstrable in vivo by the inhibition of–CCl4 induced formation of lipid peroxides in the liver of rats by pretreatment with the extracts. CCl4–induced hepatotoxicity in rats, as judged by the raised serum enzymes viz. glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total and direct bilirubin as well as oxidant enzyme viz. malon dialdehyde were prevented, while antioxidant enzymes viz. superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and catalase were elevated by pretreatment with the extracts, demonstrating the potent hepatoprotective action of the roots of A. racemosus.