ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY OF DRIED LEAVES OF Aginanthus brunneus ON ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

The present study was aimed at evaluating the antidiabetic potential of Aginanthus brunneus (a specie of Africa mistletoe) leaves on alloxan induced experimental diabetes in wister Albino rats. Oral administration of ethanolic extracts of the leaves (200mg/kg body weight/rat/day) for 30 days significantly reduced the levels of blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in diabetic rats. Determination of plasma insulin levels revealed the insulin stimulating action of the leaf extracts. Furthermore, the changes observed in the activities of carbohydrate and glycogen metabolizing enzymes were reverted back to normal after 30 days of treatment with the extracts. The efficacy of the leaf extracts was comparable with Gliben clamide (a sulphony urea), a well known hypoglyceamic drug