title: Evaluation of antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity of Xanthium indicum stem extract in Swiss albino mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Xanthium indicum stem is used in folk medicine of Bangladesh to control sugar in diabetic patients and to alleviate pain. The objective of the study was to evaluate antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of Xanthium indicum stems (XISE) in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antihyperglycemic activity was measured by oral glucose tolerance tests in glucose-loaded Swiss albino mice. Antinociceptive activity was determined by observed decreases in abdominal constrictions in acetic acid-induced gastric pain model in mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The methanol extract of stems showed dose-dependent and statistically significant antihyperglycemic activity at doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight (p values, respectively, < than 0.01, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.01). Highest reduction in blood glucose level (31.2%) was observed with the highest dose (400 mg) of the extract. A standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, reduced blood glucose levels by 46.2%, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight. In antinociceptive activity tests, the extract when administered at the aforementioned four doses, reduced the number of abdominal constrictions in mice, respectively, by 41.7, 50.0, 54.2, and 61.0%. In comparison, a standard antinociceptive drug, aspirin, when administered at a dose of 200 mg per kg body weight, reduced the number of abdominal constrictions by 37.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The experimental results obtained in the present study validate the use of X. indicum stems in folk medicines of Bangladesh to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients and to alleviate pain.
authors.forename: Md Ezazul
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: Shahnaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No, 78, Road No, 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh. rahamatm@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahmatullah
authors.forename: Rownak
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jahan
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001459:Bangladesh; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D031210:Xanthium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005905:Glyburide