Evaluation of the anti diabetic activity of column fractions obtained from the bark extract of Soymida febrifuga A. Juss

Abstract

Diabetes has become a worldwide problem afflicting humans irrespective of age. Even though a number of synthetic drugs are available for the treatment of diabetes, plant drugs are generally preferred due to the assumption that they have less side effects and low cost. This study reports the hypoglycaemic and antihyperglycaemic actions of the methanolic bark extract of Soymida febrifuga A. Juss. (fam: Meliaceae) in euglycaemic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats, respectively. The results revealed that three column fractions obtained from the methanol extract of S. febrifuga possess maximum hypoglycaemic and antihyperglycaemic activities 6 h after treatment. At a dose of 200 mg/kg, the relatively nonpolar column fraction obtained by using 20% chloroform in acetone as an eluent was by far the most potent fraction which showed comparable activity with that of the standard drug glibenclamide (10 mg/kg). At a dose of 200 mg/kg, the same column eluate showed maximum antihyperglycaemic effect reducing blood glucose level by 33.00%. At a dose of 10 mg/kg, the reference drug glibenclamide brought about 33.46% reduction of blood glucose level. In light of the results obtained from the current study, it could be concluded that the bark of S. febrifuga has genuine antidiabetic activity.