European Journal of Medicinal Plants

Aims: To study the oral glucose tolerance effects on normal rats and the antidiabetic activity of extract mixture of Andrographis paniculata and Syzygium polyanthum on alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Study Design: Seventy-two normal male rats were randomly distributed into six groups for the oral glucose tolerance test and six groups for the antidiabetic test. Group 1 to 3 were control groups, Group 4 and 5 were treated with the single extracts of Andrographis paniculata and Syzygium polyanthum, respectively, at dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. Group 6 was administered with the extract mixture at dose of 200 mg/kg b.w.

Place and Duration of Study: This work is carried out in Faculty of Pharmacy and Research Center for Traditional Medicine, Widya Mandala Catholic University, Surabaya, between March 2011 and February 2012.

Methodology: Oral glucose tolerance test was performed by collecting blood sample for the tail of each animal at 0 to 150 mins and the blood glucose levels were estimated. The antidiabetic effect of the extract mixture was studied on diabetic rats. Blood samples were collected and the fasting blood glucose levels were estimated. The pancreas were excised and fixed in formalin for histopathology.

Results: The effects of the extract mixture on glucose tolerance tests were significant (p≤0.05) and the hypoglycemic effects were not observed from 30 to 120 min after treatment. The treatment of alloxan-induced diabetic rats with the extract mixture (200 mg/kg) for 14 days also produced significantly lower blood glucose levels compared to thoses of the groups treated the single extracts. Moreover, the extract feeding showed definite improvement in the histopathology of islets and the plant extracts have not produced any toxic sympton within the treated animals.

Conclusion: The results suggest the extract mixture to be beneficial for treatment of type 2 diabetes without toxicity.