IN VIVO ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIAL AND SAFETY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF TRITICUM AESTIVUM (WHEATGRASS)

Primary goal in management of diabetes mellitus is to realize normoglycaemia. Like many other plants, Triticum aestivum has been used widely in complementary and alternative medicine but minimal data is available on its effectiveness and toxicity effects. This study was done to evaluate in vivo glycemic and toxicity effects of Triticum aestivum. 10% alloxan monohydrate was administered intraperitoneally in Swiss White Albino rats to induce diabetes in determination of efficacy. Rats with blood glucose levels above 200 mg/L were orally administered with aqueous extracts of Triticum aestivum plant at 50, 90.9, 165.1 and 300mg/kg body weight. Glibenclamide was used as the positive control. Toxicity studies were done post oral administration of either 300, 448.14, 669.4 or 1000mg per kilogram body weight of plant extracts for 28 days. The weights of the rats organs, haematological and biochemical parameters were used for toxicity studies. p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results obtained in this study indicated that the young plant of Triticum aestivum has therapeutic benefits in treatment of diabetes mellitus. No chronic toxicity effects were established. Use of Triticum aestivum as mono therapy for diabetes should be recommended on carrying out clinical studies in humans.