Antidiabetic Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Barringtonia acutangula Linn. Root on Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats
Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, tannins, carbohydrates and saponins have been known to possess antidiabetic activity. The crude aqueous ethanolic extract from roots of Barringtonia acutangula Linn (EBA) were prepared, subjected to preliminary photochemical analyses to know the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins, which are proved to act as potent antioxidants indicating the possibility of the antidiabetic nature. The crude aqueous extract at a dose of 2000 mg/kg bw/p.o were used for studying acute oral toxicity as per OECD 423 guideline. Neither lethality was observed nor any profound toxic reaction, indicating 2000 mg/kg /p.o of aqueous EBA to be safe for further studies. Thus the pharmacological screening was done with two doses, aqueous EBA 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w/p.o. In normal fasted rats, aqueous EBA treatment at both the dose levels were found to reduce the blood glucose levels, significantly. The aqueous EBA also showed a significant improvement in oral glucose tolerance test.