RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, for which there is no known cure except in a very specific situation. The available orthodox drugs used for its management are having disadvantages. This study investigated the anti-diabetic potential of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Strophanthus hispidus(SH)stem bark in Wistar rats.METHODS Glucose concentrations,serum α-amylase and lipid profile parameters of normal and diabetic rats were monitored for 12 weeks.Diabetes mellitus was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg·kg-1). 30 Male rats were randomly selected into six groups of five rats per group. Two groups served as normal and diabetic controls, respectively, and received distilled water for 12 weeks. Another two groups (normal rats) were treated orally with the aid of a gavage,250 mg·kg-1of aqueous and ethanol extracts of SH respectively for 12 weeks whereas the other two groups(diabetic rats)received the respective dose of aqueous and ethanol extracts for the same period. RESULTS The results revealed significant (P<0.05) progressive decrease in the fasting blood glucose concentration on the 2nd-12thweeks in normal rats, whereas the diabetic treated rats,showed reduction(P<0.05)in the fasting blood glucose concentration on the 4th-12thweeks.Total cholesterol,LDL and TG levels were lowered significantly(P<0.05)by the extracts in normal and diabetic treated rats, whereas HDL levels (17.6±0.50) mg·dL-1(aqueous) and (21.4±1.28) mg·dL-1(ethanol) were elevated in diabetic treated rats.The activity of serum α-amylase was also elevated by the extract in diabetic treated rats. CONCLUSION These findings indicated that SH showed hypoglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-diabetic activities. These findings may be connected with the presence and amount of phytochemicals in the plant.