Antidiabetic Potential of Erythrina indica in STZ Induced Rats

Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder resulting from either insulin insufficiency or insulin dysfunction. Diabetes screening is recommended for many people at various stages of life, and for those with any of several risk factors. The screening test varies according to circumstances and local policy, and may be a random blood glucose test, a fasting blood glucose test, a blood glucose test two hours after 75 g of glucose, or an even more formal glucose tolerance test. Medicinal plants, since time immemorial, have been used in virtually all cultures as a source of medicine. It has been estimated that about 80-85% of population both in developed and developing countries rely on traditional medicine for their primarily health care needs and it is assumed that a major part of traditional therapy involves the use of plant extracts or their active principles. The present study was carried out withmethanollic extract of Erythrina indica bark at three different dose levels (100, 250, 500mg/kg), through oral administration. Streptozocin(STZ) was used to induce hyperglycaemia at a dose of 50mg/kg body weight and Glibenclamide used ad standard drug. The results of blood glucose level and body weight indicate that extract has dose dependent beneficial effect. Statistically results were analysed with one way ANOVA and values are expressed as Mean±SD, P-value of 0.05 or less was taken as significant.