Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF COCCINIA INDICA FRUIT EXTRACT FOR ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITY

R. S. Sahane*, Dr. N. S. Vyawahare and Dr. V. Rama Mohan Gupta

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of hypoglycemic activities of Coccinia indica fruits extract in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Method: Sprague Dawley rats of either sex were used for the experimental bioassay. Animals were made diabetic by a single intra-peritoneal dose of streptozotocin 60 mg/kg body weight. After 72 h of streptozotocin administration, blood glucose level was examined to confirm diabetes. All animals were randomly divided into seven groups with six animals in each. A single oral administration daily for three weeks of ethanolic extract at doses 200 and 400 mg/kg and triterpenoid fraction at doses 50 and 100 mg/kg was done. Glibenclamide 5 mg/kg was used as reference drug. Results: Phytochemical study revealed the presence of triterpenoids, flavonoids, sterols, carbohydrates. The ethanolic extract and triterpenoid fraction showed significant glucose lowering activity along with good lipid lowering activity in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The histo-pathological findings suggest that the architecture of pancreas was retained. Conclusion: The findings suggest that alcoholic extract of Coccinia indicia and triterpenoid fraction serve as good oral hypoglycemic agents and seem to be promising for the development of phytomedicines for hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, renal-protective and hepatoprotective effects in diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Streptozotocin, Coccinia indica, Glibenclamide, Ethanolic extract, Anti-diabetic.