A study on antidiabetic activity of the leaf and stem of Alocasia indica L. in steptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Medical and clinical investigations of plants have been making tremendous contributions of life sciences, health and medicine. Medicinal plants play an important role in the management of diabetes mellitus especially in developing countries where resources are meager. The present study was aimed at evaluating the effect of Alocasia indica L on blood glucose level in normal and Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with stress on evaluation of probable mechanism of antidiabetic action. In vivo, antiheperglycemic activity of Alocasia indica leaves and stem extract showed activity against Steptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) and doses of test extracts 200 and 400mg/kg were studied in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats for the period of 21 days. Glibenclamide 10 mg/kg was used as standard drug. There was a significant increase in blood glucose level in diabetic rats when compared with normal control due to streptozotocin injection. In this study, daily oral administration of the leaves and stem extracts for the period of 21 days led to a dose dependent fall in blood glucose levels and showed significant (P<0.05) reduction in blood glucose levels compared to diabetic control group at dose 200 and 400 mg/kg. The test extracts also showed significant (P<0.05) weight gain of diabetic rats compaired with the control group at the same dose. The present study reported that Alocasia indica L. may be very useful for the improvement of the complications of diabetes.