HYPOGLYCEMIC AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENCY OF SEED EXTRACT OF Tamarindus indica LINN ON STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETES MELLITUS IN MALE RAT: A DOSE DEPENDENT STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate dose dependent antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of aqueous methanol extract of seed of Tamarindus indica Linn on fasting and postprandial blood glucose level, liver and muscle glycogen content, haemoglobin level, glycosylated haemoglobin level, liver hexokinase activity, serum insulin level and on the antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, superoxide dismutase along with lipid peroxidation such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and conjugated dienes in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Diabetic rats show a significant diminution in the liver hexokinase activity, serum insulin level, haemoglobin level and antioxidant enzymes activities in liver, kidney and skeletal muscle as well as elevation of fasting, postprandial blood glucose level, glycosylated haemoglobin level and lipid peroxidation. Supplementation of aqueous methanol (1:1) extract of seed of Tamarindus indica at the dose of 40 mg or 80 mg or 120 mg/100 g body weight/ day by gavage for 14 days to diabetic rats resulted a significant protection of the above mentioned parameters towards the control level at 40 mg dose but complete recovery was noted at 80 mg or 120 mg doses. The applied doses of this extract have no metabolic toxicity which was confirmed here by the assessment of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase activities. The antidiabetic activity of this extract was confirmed after a comparison with standard oral hypoglycemic drug i.e. glibenclamide. That major nutraceuticals presents in aqueous methanol extract are flavonoids and phenolic compounds.