HYPOGLYCEMIC ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACT OF ACHYRANTHES ASPERA IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS AND ITS EFFECT ON THEIR KIDNEYS

In the present study, the ethanolic extract of leaves of Achyranthes aspera L. were screened for their hypoglycemic activity. The in-vivo evaluation of hypoglycemic activity of leaf extracts was performed by induction of diabetes in rats using streptozotocin and also the effects of extracts on serum urea, serum creatinine, serum insulin, urinary glucose, microalbuminuria, protienuria and its effect on pancreas and kidneys. An effective dose of 100 mg/kg body weight was selected from the acute toxicity study for further study. The study included 24 animals among which 6 served as normal control group. The maximum glucose tolerance was observed at 90th min extract treated animals. After 21 days the blood glucose levels of the treated rats were significantly lower than the diabetic control whose values are 150.83 mg/dL and 343.50 mg/dL respectively. In addition, the serum insulin levels of treated diabetic rats enhanced (9.172) and diabetic rats (4.748). Also there was recovery in body weight. There seemed to be a decrease in serum urea and creatinine levels. Achyranthes aspera at a dose of 100 mg/kg and glibenclamide at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg, significantly lowered glycosuria and retarded the increase of microalbuminuria and protienuria levels. Hence the study confirms the therapeutic value of leaf extract Achyranthes aspera for hypoglycemic activity.