Samah Djeddi
Annaba University
Algeria
Title: Antidiabetic Activity of Pyracantha coccinea Extract in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats
Biography
Biography: Samah Djeddi
Abstract
Medicinal plants have been a source of a wide variety of biologically active compounds for many centuries. These plants have been used extensively, as crude material or after the extraction of their key active compounds, for treating various disease conditions. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the antidiabetic effect of the Greek medicinal plant Pyracantha coccinea in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Blood glucose levels and body weights of control and diabetic rats were monitored. In the present study activities of liver enzymes (glucokinase, glucose -6- phosphatase and fructose -1- 6-diphosphatase) were also determined. Glucophage an antidiabetic oral drug was used as reference. Oral administration of methanolic extract (200 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days resulted in a significant decline in blood glucose from 340.20 to 145.0 mg/dl and significant recovery in body weight of diabetic rats. There was also a significant reduction in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1-6-disphosphatase in liver. The study clearly shows that the methanolic extract of Pyracantha coccinea possesses potent antidiabetic activity.