title: Antidiabetic effects of Tinospora crispa in rats.
abstract: In Malaysia, an aqueous extract of Tinospora crispa stems is taken orally to treat diabetes mellitus. In the present study, normal and alloxan-diabetic rats were used to evaluate the hypoglycaemic properties of the extract. A hypoglycaemic effect was observed in moderately diabetic rats with concomitant improvement in insulinaemia. After a 2-week treatment with the extract (4 g/l in the drinking water), these rats also showed improvement in glucose tolerance. Moreover, acute intravenous treatment with the extract (50 mg/kg) caused an increase in plasma insulin levels. The data support the traditional belief that T. crispa extract could improve diabetic conditions by virtue of its action on the endocrine pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Clinical Biochemistry, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, U.K.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noor
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ashcroft
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts