Hypoglycemic effect of Biophytum sensitivum in the alloxan diabetic rabbits.

Hypoglycaemic effect of a Neapalese plant Biophytum sensitivum was investigated in the alloxan diabetic male rabbits of different severities: subdiabetic (Alloxan recovered; AR), mild diabetic (MD) and severely diabetic (SD). Assessment of activity of the extract, prepared from the plant leaves, was done by fall in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and improvement in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), following single dose and prolonged administrations. Following single dose administration there was fall in 1 hour and 2.5 hour glucose values by 25.9% and 27.4% respectively in the subdiabetic rabbits, and by 36.9% and 37.7% in the mild diabetic rabbits. Improved GTT response is shown by fall in area under curve (AUC) from 16138 mg/dl to 12355 mg/dl (23.4%) in the subdiabetic rabbits, and from 19258 to 12238 mg/dl in the MD rabbits. More significant improvements occurred following one week of above treatment. The results prove that the plant material has significant hypoglycaemic effect, which is possibly due to pancreatic beta-cell stimulating action. To investigate its possible role in correction of other metabolic abnormalities of diabetes further long term studies are required.