Antidiabetic effect of seeds of Strychnos potatorum Linn. in a streptozotocin-induced model of diabetes.
The antidiabetic effect of seeds of Strychnos potatorum Linn. was evaluated in a model of diabetes mellitus using streptozotocin (40 mg/kg b.w., i.p.). Changes in fasting blood sugar were estimated periodically for 12 weeks along with weekly measurement of body weight, food and water intake for 4 weeks. The antidiabetic effects were compared with glipizide as the reference hypoglycemic drug. Strychnos potatorum Linn. (100 mg/kg p.o.) significantly reduced fasting blood sugar, the effects being comparable with glipizide (40 mg/kg, p.o.), an established hypoglycemic drug. It also increased body weight along with decreased food and water intake in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Taken together, Strychnos potatorum Linn. shows promise as an effective hypoglycemic compound worthy of future pharmacological investigations.
Department of Pharmacology, NRS Medical College, 138 Acharya JC Bose Road, Sealdah Entally, Kolkata-700 014, India. drasishbiswas@gmail.com
Asish
A
Biswas
Suparna
S
Chatterjee
Rama
R
Chowdhury
Sangita
S
Sen
Dipak
D
Sarkar
Mitali
M
Chatterjee
Jayasree
J
Das
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D031451:Strychnos / Q000737:chemistry*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts