Abstract

POLYHERBAL FORMULATION FOR LOWERING BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS: EVALUATION OF A COMBINATION OF FOENICULUM VULGARE AND BRASSICA ALBA SEEDS

Md. Saydur Rahman Sayeed, Hossain Ahmed, Shahnaz Rahman, Ishtiaq Ahmad, Md. Moshiur Rahman, Md. Shahadat Hossan, Mohammed Rahmatullah*

ABSTRACT

Background. We have previously evaluated the antihyperglycemic potential of seeds of Foeniculum vulgare and Brassica alba separately. It was of interest to determine whether a combination of the seeds demonstrates synergistic antihyperglycemic effects and so can be more useful in lowering blood glucose. Methods. Antihyperglycemic activity was determined through oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT). Results. Administration of 200 mg/kg of methanol extract of Foeniculum vulgare seeds led to 33.1% reduction in blood glucose levels in glucose-loaded mice. At the same dose, methanol extract of Brassica alba seeds reduced blood glucose levels by 38.8%. Administration of a combination of the extracts (1:1, w/w) at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg led to, respectively, 34.2, 43.1, and 47.7% reductions in blood glucose levels. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by 48.0%. The results demonstrate that a formulation containing extracts from seeds of both plants can give synergistic effects in lowering of blood glucose, and at the highest dose tested of the combination, is equivalent to that of glibenclamide. Conclusion. A polyherbal formulation containing extracts of Foeniculum vulgare and Brassica alba seeds is comparable to glibenclamide in lowering blood glucose levels.

Keywords: Antihyperglycemic, Foeniculum vulgare, Brassica alba, Apiaceae, Brassicaceae.