In Vivo Antidiabetic Activities of Polyherbal Extracts against Streptozotocin- Nicotinamide Induced Type 2 Diabetic Mice Model

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder and rapidly increasing cases of diabetes throughout the world are major concerns in both developed and developing countries. Currently available oral antidiabetic medicines have limitations in efficacy and safety, which in conjunction with the emergence of diabetes mellitus as a global epidemic have aided the popularity of alternative therapies to manage the disease safely and more efficiently. Herbal medicines are accepted as alternative therapies for blood sugar control. Gymnema sylvestre, Boerhavia diffusa, Tinospora cordifolia, and Argyreia nervosa are some potent herbs used for the management of diabetes. Mixing of these plants in different ratios may produce synergistic antidiabetic actions which may have greater antidiabetic activity. Hence, the present study aimed to determine the anti-diabetic activities of polyherbal extracts in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic mice. The administration of polyherbal extract orally at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly decreased the blood glucose levels compared to the control diabetic mice. The polyherbal extract significantly lowered the elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein levels, while increased the high-density lipoprotein indicating antihyperlipidemic activity. The present study reveals that polyherbal extract at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight resulted in a significant decline (p < 0.001) in blood glucose level.

Keywords: Polyherbal extracts; diabetes mellitus; Oral glucose tolerance test; Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide