Therapeutic Efficacy of Catharanthus roseus in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Wistar Rats

This study was undertaken to systematically investigate the beneficial effects of Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) in insulin-deficient and insulin-resistant conditions. Type 1 diabetes is a metabolic disorder due to insulin deficiency whereas insulin resistance is the prominent feature of Type 2, both types of diabetes are characterized by hyperglycemia. Chronic hyperglycemia by itself and by its associated oxidative stress plays an important role in the initiation and progression of diabetic complications. Due to increasing obesity, altered dietary habits and sedentary life style both in western and developing countries, the prevalence of both types of diabetes are growing at an exponential rate.