Prolonged Nutmeg Extract Usage As Potent As Glibenclamide In Diabetes Treatment

Comparative antidiabetic potentials study of the effect of ethanolic and aqueous extract of readymade nutmeg with glibenclamide was carried out on thirty (30) male and female albino rats and thirty (30) male and female albino mice for the period of 7, 14, 21 and 35 days. The animals were given low, medium and high doses of extract and 5mg/kg per body weight of glibenclamide for the period. The group administered with high dose of extract of nutmeg had significant  reduction in blood glucose level than (p<0.05), control. The aqueous extract of nutmeg showed significant reduction in blood glucose level on the days with low dose (p<0.05)  compared to control. A combination of nutmeg extract and glibenclamide showed a drastic significant (p<0.05) reduction in blood glucose level. The LD50 of the extract was 2738.1 mg/kg. The phytochemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoid, tannins, cardiac glycosides and saponins. But flavonoid concentration was very significant. It is showed in the study that prolong usage of aqueous extract of readymade nutmeg is very potent as glibenclamide in the treatment of diabetes. However, ethanolic extract of nutmeg showed higher potency than aqueous extract in the study. Key words: Ethanolic, aqueous, extract, nutmeg, glibenclamide, diabetes.