Antidiabetic activity of artemisia absinthiumversus metformin in stz induced diabetic rats

The objective of this two months study is to evaluate antidiabetic activity of Artemisia absinthium (methanolic leaf extract of Artemisia absinthium-MLEAA) in Streptozotocin induced experimental diabetes mellitus in normal adult male Wistar rats via comparing with reference anti-diabetic drug Metformin by measuring the changes in body weight, levels of plasma glucose and insulin, among the empirical groups. About 40 experimental male rats were divided into five groups, eight in each group; Normal (N), Normal rats treated with MLEAA (NA), Diabetic rats (D), Diabeticrats treated with MLEAA (DA) and Diabeticrats treated with metformin (DM). Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single dose intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body weight) in respective groups meant for inducing diabetes-D, DA and DM rats. Relevant groups meant for treatment (NA and DA) were administered with MLEAA at a standard dose of 500 mg/kg body weight/day and the DM group was treated with metformin 100mg//kg body weight/day by forced feeding (gavage) for 60 days. D group rats have shown elevation in glucose levels (hyperglycemia) and decline in insulin levels (hypoinsulinemia) but upon treatment with MLEAA for 60 days have rectified these signs of disease in DA group like in DM group. This long term study evidenced that, the methanolic leaf extract of Artemisia absinthium (MLEAA) is a potential antidiabetic agent against hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia in STZ induced experimental diabetic rats alike the reference antidiabetic drug metformin.