Short term antidiabetic studies on alcoholic extract of Ipomoea quamoclit linn

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the antidiabetic effects of the alcoholic extract of leaves and stem of I. auamoclit employing a short term study. A short tem study was carried as a preliminary investigation to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of the alcoholic extract of leaves and stem of I. quamoclit and its normoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activity in streptozotocin [STZ[- nicotinamide induced non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus rats using Glucose Tolerance Test t[GTT]. Graded doses [250 and 500 mg/kg] of the alcoholic root extract suspended in gum acacia were administered to normal and experimental diabetic rats. A significant fall in the blood glucose level of extract-treated animals was seen after 1 hour, indicating its hypoglycemic activity. Continuous blood glucose lowering activity was observed up to 4 hours of administration in normoglycemic and diabetic rats. The results were compared with those following the administration of standard oral hypoglycemic agent, glibenclamide. Administration of the alcoholic extract caused statistically significant decrease in the blood glucose levels of normal and diabetic rats as compared to the normal control and diabetic control groups respectively. Longer duration studies of Ipomoea quamoclit on chronic models may contribute toward the development of a potent antidiabetic drug