Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidaemic and Antioxidant activity of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. in alloxan induced diabetic rats

Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb (Fabaceae) is a well known medicinal plant and is used in various human ailments. The ethanol extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium wood, bark and combined extract of wood and bark were investigated for its antidiabetic effect in Wistar albino rats. Diabetes was induced in Albino rats by administration of alloxan monohydrate (150mg/kg,i.p). The ethanol extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium wood and bark at a dose of 150mg/kg of body weight respectively and combined extracts of wood and bark at a dose of 150 +150mg/kg of body weight were administered at single dose per day to diabetes induced rats for a period of 14 days. The effect of ethanol extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium on blood glucose, plasma insulin, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum lipid profile [total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C)] serum protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, serum enzymes [Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases (SGOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)], antioxidant enzymes lipoprotein peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), erythrocytes (catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in the diabetic rats. The ethanol extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium resulted significant reductions of blood glucose(p<0.01), lipid parameters except HDL-C, serum enzymes and significantly increased HDL-C and antioxidant enzymes. The extracts also caused significant increase in plasma insulin(p<0.01) in the diabetic rats. From the above results it is concluded that ethanol extracts of Pterocarpus marsupium possesses significant antidiabetic, antihyperlipidaemic and antioxidant effects in alloxan induced diabetic rats.