title: Evaluation of the hypoglycemic effect of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) in different experimental models.
abstract: Acute hypoglycemic effects of freeze-dried juice of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) fruits were studied in healthy and alloxan-diabetic mice. C. ficifolia fruit administered by intraperitoneal route produced, in a dose-dependent manner, a significant decrease of the glycemia in healthy mice. Although oral route of C. ficifolia fruit juice also caused significant reductions of blood glucose levels in healthy mice, the effect was minor. The juice administered by intraperitoneal route showed an acute hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic mice. In addition, daily oral administration of this preparation showed a highly significant reduction of the glycemia after 14 days of treatment. Freeze- dried juice caused acute toxicity when administered intraperitoneally, and also when it was administered daily by the oral route.
authors.affiliation: División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, DF, Mexico. aaasj2@prodigy.net.mx
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Alarcon-Aguilar
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Galicia
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Campos-Sepulveda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xolalpa-Molina
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rivas-Vilchis
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Vazquez-Carrillo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roman-Ramos
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D028464:Cucurbita; D019662:Cucurbitaceae; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005638:Fruit; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents