Antidiabetic Effects of Crude Flavanoid and Alkaloid of Abrus precatorius Linn Seed in Alloxan Diabetic Rabbits

The antidiabetic effects of the crude flavonoid (FV) and alkaloid (AK) of Abrus precatorius seed were studied in alloxan diabetic rabbits. The effects were compared to that of chlorpropamide (CP) a known antidiabetic drug and a diabetic control group (CO). Blood glucose level drawn before the alloxan injection was 1.11±0.04, 1.33±0.06, 1.14±0.04, and 1.24±0.02 x 10² mg/dl for FV, AK, CP and CO groups respectively. When 50mg/kg body weight of FV, AK, CP and 5ml of normal saline for CO were given orally, blood glucose level decreased in FV, AK and CP groups but not in CO group. The percentage reductions in blood glucose levels were 35.3, 44.1, 72.0, 69.7, 56.1, 67.7 and 61.6% for FV and 53.40, 116.4, 165.6, 116.4, 104.4, 125.20 and 116.4% for AK after 05, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 168 hrs of oral administration of FV and AK respectively. The percentage increase in glycemic level in CO was in the range of 0.8 and 4.0%. When the blood glucose reduction of FV was compared to that of CP at p<0.05, significant differences were observed after 05, 10, 30, 60 and 168hrs of oral administration. Significant induction of diabetes by alloxan at p<0.05 was observed for all the groups used in the study. The flavoniod and alkaloid of Abrus precatorius seed were able to reduce the blood glucose level in alloxan diabetic rabbit and could be tested further for implementation in herbal formulations.