Evaluation of Antidiabetic, Phytochemical and Acute Toxicity of the Methanol Seed Extract of Senna occidentalis Linn

Abstract

demonstrated antidiabetic effect. The study evaluated the phytochemical constituents, acute toxicity and antidiabetic activity of the methanol seed extract of Senna occidentalis. Six groups of Wistar rats were used for the antidiabetic study. Group 1 was used as normal control while groups 2 and 3 were used for metformin and insulin as standard controls respectively. Groups 4, 5 and 6 were administered 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of the methanol seed extract of S. occidentalis respectively through oral intubation. The study revealed the presence of carbohydrates, cardenolites, anthraquinones, flavonoids, tannins and triterpenoids. Alkaloids and saponins were not detected. The acute toxicity was greater than 4000 mg/kg body weight with no death during the 10 days observation after oral administration of the extract. The plant extract showed mild hypoglycaemic activity at the dose of 800 mg/kg at 12 hours by 3% and by 21% at 24 hours, slight decrease in blood glucose level was observed at 400 mg/kg by 2% and by 5% at 6 and 24 hours respectively. However, the extract showed no activity at 200 mg/kg throughout the study. The positive control (insulin) reduced the blood glucose level significantly by 65%, 57% and 36% at 3, 6 and 12 hours respectively but hypoglycaemic effect demonstrated by metformin throughout the study. The methanol seed extract of S. occidentalis showed mild hypoglycaemic activity. The extract contains phytochemical constituents that might be responsible for its antidiabetic activity.