Screening of Madhuca indica for Antidiabetic Activity in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, which affects 6% of the total adult population worldwide. Many allopathic medicines are available to treat diabetes, but treatment is associated with many side effects which necessitates replacement of allopathic medicine with natural drugs. The present study evaluated the antidiabetic activity leaf extracts of Madhuca indica in alloxan induced male diabetic Wistar rats. Leaves of Madhuca indica were extracted by using different solvents viz. ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and water. The study revealed that the active constituents were present in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts were administered at the dose of 500mg/kg for 7 days to hyperglycemic and nomoglycemic rats. The plasma glucose concentration was significantly decreased [P(<0.05)] by both the extracts when compared with the control. Thus this study shows that the ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Madhuca indica has anti hyperglycemic activity, is able to ameliorate the diabetic state, and is probably a source of hypoglycemic compound.