Biochemical Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity of Piper Betel Leaves Extract in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rats

Globally, majority of cultures directly uses plants as medicines as they are rich sources of drugs. Piper betel Linn. (family Piperaceae) commonly known as the betel vine and has a long history of over 2000 yrs. Betel leaf is traditionally known to be useful for the treatment of various diseases. In the absence of systemic studies in the literature, the present study was aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of Piper betel leaves in alloxan-induced experimental diabetes in rats. The altered levels of biochemical parameters such as blood glucose, plasma insulin, haemoglobin, glycosylated haemoglobin, liver and muscle glycogen content, protein, urea, creatinine, uric aicd, AST, ALT and ALP in the diabetic rats were significantly reverted upon oral administration of Piper betel leaves extract for 30 days. The levels of lipid peroxides in the plasma and pancreas of diabetic rats were elevated significantly and were normalized by the administration of Piper betel leaves extract. The activities of pancreatic enzymic antioxidants and the levels of plasma nonenzymatic antioxidants were markedly declined in the diabetic rats. Upon treatment with leaves extract to diabetic rats, these decreased antioxidant levels were significantly improved. Further, the altered levels of lipid profile were significantly improved upon treatment with leaves extract. The results of the study indicates that Piper betel leaves possess antidiabetic activity and the results were comparable with gliclazide, an oral standard hypoglycemic drug. The phyto-constituents present in the leaves may account for the observed pharmacological properties.