Dose dependent hypoglycemic effect of aqueous extract of Enicostemma littorale Blume in alloxan induced diabetic rats

Previous studies in our lab had confirmed the blood glucose lowering effect of E. littorale Blume in alloxan induced diabetic rats with no change in normoglycemic control rats. Present paper deals with dose dependent (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 g dry plant equivalent extract /100 g body wt., p.o.) blood glucose lowering effect of aqueous extract of E. littorale Blume in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The effective dose was found to be 1.5 g dry plant equivalent extract/100 g body wt.. The above dose caused significant decrease in glycosylated haemoglobin, liver glucose-6-phosphatase activity and significant increase in serum insulin levels of the diabetic rats. No significant changes were observed in the toxicity parameters of extract treated diabetic rats as compared to diabetic control rats. The above results suggest that E. littorale is a potent antidiabetic agent without any toxic effect at this particular dose (1.5 g dry plant equivalent extract/100 g body wt.).