Antidiabetic Activity and Phytochemical Screening of Acalypha Wilkesiana (Euphorbiaceae) Mull Arg. Roots in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-diabetic effects and biochemical parameters of methanol root extract of Acalypha wilkesiana Mull Arg. (MEAW) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The effect of the extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o.) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), Serum glutamate oxloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamaate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) level and liver glycogen content were investigated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats after 14 days. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was also performed on the diabetic rats. Dose selection was made on the basis of acute oral toxicity study. Phytochemical analysis of the root extracts was carried out following starndard procedures. The most significant (p<0.05) reduction of FBG level of 74.06% was observered for 400 mg/kg in alloxan induced diabetic rats. A siginificant reduction (p<0.05) in serum TC and TG level of 50.43 and 58.05% respectively was also observed for the high dose of the extract. The SGOT and SGPT levels were siginificantly (p<0.05) reduced. The MEAW also showed improvement of body weight in the diabetic rats. The animals showed no mortality at a dose of 5000 mg/kg while reslts of pyhtochemical analysis revealed the presence of mainly alkalode, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids and tannins. The result showed that the roots of Acalypha wilkesaana possesses antidiabetic, antihyperlidemic and hepatoprotective effects.