Hypoglycemic effect of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis leaf extract on Alloxan induced Diabetic rabbits

Currently available drugs for diabetes mellitus pose considerable side effects. This necessitates the development of new products, particularly herbal preparations which are known to have lesser side effects. Several herbal products are used to treat diabetes; but their hypoglycemic effects are complex and few anti-diabetic plants have received proper scientific validation. The present study was undertaken to validate the use of the leaves of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis plant as anti-diabetic agent. This study was conducted on thirty healthy albino rabbits of either sex; the effect of the Nyctanthes arbor-tristis leaf extract (NALE) at doses 200mg/kg body weight and 400mg/kg body weight was evaluated for a period of 14 days on alloxan induced diabetic rabbits. The hypoglycemic effect of the leaf extract was compared with the standard Glibenclamide at dose 2.5mg/kg body weight. Results revealed that the hypoglycemic effect of the Nyctanthes arbor-tristis leaf extract at 200mg/kg body weight was not significant whereas at 400mg/kg body weight it was highly significant and comparable to Glibenclamide. However, the result of the present study can only be confirmed after evaluating Nyctanthes arbor-tristis on larger number of animals as well as clinically.