ABSTRACT
a single oral dose of the aqueous leaf extract of Eryngium foetidum L. was screened for its blood-sugar lowering action in three animal models: normoglycaemic rats, streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and normal rats subjected to the oral glucose-tolerance test. High and low doses (351 mg/kg and 176 mg/kg respectively) of the Eryngium foetidum leaf extract were used. The effects were composed with those produced by 200 mg/kg of the extract of commercial Gymnema sylvestre leaf (positive control 1), 3mg/kg glibenclamide (positive control 2) and 15mg/kg distilled water (negative control). Single (acute) oral dose of E. foetidium leaf extract caused no significant reduction in the blood glucose levels of the three animal models. The effect was similiar to that produced by the glibenclamide (positive control 2). The intraperitoneal acute toxicity test result in mice indicated that the E. foetidium leaf extract up to a dose of 702 mg/kg was not toxic. Phytochemical screening showed that essential oils and saponins were present in this extract. The present study suggests that a single oral dose of the aqueous leaf extract of E. foetidum has no significant blood-sugar lowering activity in healthy and experimental diabetic rats