ABSTRACT
Background: the present study was planned to observe the hypoglycaemic effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer [Radix rubra] a traditional Far Eastern medicinal plant. This research was performed to study the possible role of medicinal plants in the treatment of Diabetes mellitus type
Study Design: it is a comparative and non interventional study
Study Period: from May 2004 to December 2004
Setting: Department of Pharmacology FPGMI
Subjects and Methods: 96 rabbits were divided into two main groups. Group1 of normal rabbits was further subdivided into 6 subgroups [A-F] of 8 animals each. Subgroup A served as control and received 5 ml of water only. Subgroups B,C and D were administered ginseng root powder in aqueous solution, in doses of 25, 50, 100 mg/kg body weight per 5 ml of distilled water. Subgroup E and F were administered 5 mg of glibenclamide and 250 mg of metformin each dissolved in 5 ml of distilled water respectively. The alloxan diabetic rabbits [Group 2] were also subdivided into 6 subgroups [G-L] on the same pattern. The blood glucose levels were estimated before and 2,4, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 hours after administration of the aqueous solutions of ginseng, glibenclamide and metformin
Results: the aqueous solution of Panax ginseng exerted a significant hypoglycaemic action [P value <0.5] at 2 hours with the 50mglkg dose continuing till 4 hours with the 100 mgkg body weight dose in the normal rabbits. In the alloxan diabetic rabbits there was statistically significant hypoglycemic action [P value <0.5] with the 50 mg/kg dose at the 12th hour proceeding till the 14th hour with the 100mgkg body weight dose. The doses used did not show acute toxicity or result in behavioral changes
Conclusion: from this study, it maybe concluded that the powdered Panax ginseng [Radix rubra] root has a significant, mild and short lived hypoglycemic action in both normal and in alloxan induced diabetic rabbits