EFFECT OF AQUEOUS FIG LEAVES EXTRACT AS HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENT

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by altered carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, and an increased risk of multiple complications. Effect of aqueous fig leaves extract at doses of 20, 40 and 60 mg on alloxan-induced diabetic rats were studied. Sprauge-Dawley albino rats (30 male) weighing 155 to 165 g were divided into 5groups and administered aqueous fig leaves extract daily for 28 days. Blood samples were taken from each rat and tested for blood glucose, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), triglycerides, urea, uric acid and creatinine levels, serum total protein, albumin, globulin and liver enzymes activities. Also, phytochemical screening of fig leaves including total phenols, flavonoids, tannins and saponins contents were determined. In alloxan-induced diabetic rats, blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, urea, uric acid, creatinine and liver enzymes activities (AST and ALT) were significantly increased. While. HDL, serum total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly decreased compared with the negative control rats. Treating diabetic rats with 20, 40 and 60 mg aqueous fig leaves extract caused a significant improvement in these biochemical measures and the best results were achieved by using 60 mg fig leaves extract followed by 40 and 20 mg aqueous extract, respectively. It could be concluded from these results that, aqueous fig leaves extract which was found to be rich in total phenols and total flavonoids which considered powerful antioxidants should be used in manufacture processes of the natural products with anti-diabetic activity as hypoglycemic agent.