Antidiabetic activity of hydro-ethanolic extracts of Nymphaea Stellata flowers in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats

Abstract:   The antidiabetic effect of hydro-ethanolic extract (HEE) of Nymphaea stellata Willd flower was investigated in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. In the present study, the animals were divided in to normal control, diabetic control, diabetic treated and control treated group (n = 6). Effect of oral administration of HEE (300 mg/kg) for 30 days on the level of blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), phospholipids, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), Hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Glucose-6-phosphatas e in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats were evaluated. When comparing the values of the HEE treated group with those of the control diabetic group, we found that the HEE significantly decreased the elevated blood glucose level, glycosylated hemoglobin, cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, LDL, VLDL and it showed a significant increase in liver glycogen, insulin and HDL level. Treatment with HEE in diabetic rats increased the Hexokinase, LDH activity and decreased the glucose 6-phosphatase activity. These results clearly indicated that N. stellata flowers possess promising antidiabetic effect in diabetic rats. Citation: K. Rajagopal and K. Sasikala; African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology Vol. 2(8), pp. 173–178, October, 2008.