Comparison of Hypoglycemic Activity of Berberis Lycium Royle Stem Bark and Glimepiride in Type 2 Diabetes

ABSTRACT

To compare the hypoglycemic activity of aqueous extract of stem bark of Berberis lycium Royle and glimepiride -a sulphonylurea in a type 2 diabetes mellitus induced male mice model. Randomized control trial. This study was carried out in the animal house of National Institute of Health [NIH], Islamabad from 7th November 2013 till 21st January 2014. Fifty albino Balb/C male mice were divided randomly into groups I-V [n=10]. Group I served as normal control group. In rest of the forty mice from group II-V, type 2 diabetes mellitus was induced by administration of high fat diet [HFD] for two weeks followed by low dose [40 mg/kg] intra-peritoneal streptozotocin [STZ] injections for four consecutive days. Group II served as the disease control group, group III received the aqueous extract of stem bark of Berberis lycium Royle in dose of 50 mg/kg body wt. while group IV received the aqueous extract of stem bark of Berberis lycium Royle in dose of 100 mg/kg body wt. Group V was administered glimepiride in a dose of 2mg/kg body wt. herb extract and the drug was given orally once a day. Samples were taken at the end of five weeks for blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin [HbAlc%].The blood samples estimated for fasting blood glucose [FBG] and glycosylated hemoglobin [HbAlc%] levels showed that the aqueous extract of stem bark of Berberis lycium Royle in a high dose [100 mg/kg body wt.] showed the maximum lowering of FBG and HbAlc% levels followed by its low dose [50 mg/kg body wt.] Glimepiride also lowered the FBG and HbAlc% to normal limits but its extent was less than the aqueous extract of stem bark of Berberis lycium Royle. The aqueous extract of stem bark of Berberis lycium Royle lowers the FBG and HbAlc levels in a type 2 diabetes induced male mice in a dose dependent manner