title: Hypoglycaemic and antihyperglycaemic effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf were tested for hypoglycaemic activity in normal and alloxan-diabetic rats. Graded amounts (0.06, 0.2, 0.5, 1 g/kg, i.p. and 1, 2, 8 g/kg, p.o.) of the aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf when given to both normal and alloxan-diabetic rats, a significant reduction of blood glucose concentration was noticed. On the other hand ethanolic extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf produced no reduction in blood glucose concentration in normal rats but intra-peritoneal administration of 0.8 g/kg of the ethanolic leaf extract to diabetic rats produced a significant reduction of blood glucose concentration (p < 0.02) at 2 and 24 h only. Intraperitoneal and oral acute toxicity (LD50) and target organ effects were studied for the aqueous extract of Trigonella leaf in mice. LD50 of i.p. and oral administration were 1.9 and 10 g/kg respectively. The main organ affected after i.p. administration of the aqueous extract was the liver while oral administration of the aqueous extract of Trigonella did not produce any sign of organ damage. These results suggest that the aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaves given both orally and intraperitoneally possesses a hypoglycaemic effect in normoglycaemic and alloxan induced hyperglycaemic rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Basrah, Iraq.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Abdel-Barry
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hassan
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al-Hakiem
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts