Abstract

EVALUATION OF HYPOLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF ACHYRANTHES ASPERA LINN. ON ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

R.Vidhya*, G.Jothi

ABSTRACT

The present study, aims to evaluate the hypolipidemic activity of aqueous extract of Achyranthes aspera (L.) against alloxan induced diabetic rats. Wistar strain of albino rats of either sex were divided into five groups comprising of six rats each. Group I served as normal control, group II served as disease control (alloxan induced), group III & IV animals, received aqueous extract of A. aspera Linn at a dosage of 250mg/kg body weight and 500mg/kg body weight for 45 days, group V served as standard drug control (glibenclamide1mg/Kg body weight). After the experimental period the blood and tissue samples were collected and subjected to various biochemical parameters and histopathological studies. There were profound alterations in fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid profile in serum and tissue, urea, creatinine levels in alloxan induced rats. Aqueous extract of A. aspera showed an excellent reduction in serum and marked raised tissue cholesterol, triglyceride, and freefattyacid and phospholipid levels. plant extract help in resuming the lipid profile, urea and creatinine to normal and results were comparable to that of standard drug glibenclamide (1mg/kg bw). The alterations were observed to resume (P<0.05) back to normal on treatment with plant drug. The effect of plant extract was found to be dose dependent. The present investigation reveals the antidiabetic potential of aqueous extract of whole plant of A. aspera L.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Achyranthes aspera Linn., Alloxan, Lipid profile, urea, Creatinine.