ASSESSMENT OF ANTIHYPERGLYCAEMIC AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF LEAVES OF SOLANUM NIGRUM LINN. IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Summary The present study was designed to investigate the possible actions of aqueous extract of leaves of Solanum nigrum Linn (ALSN), on glucose homeostasis and antioxidant defense in rats. The test was performed in both normoglycemic and alloxan induced hyperglycemic rats under treatment of the extract at 50 and 100 mg/kg dose levels for 30 days, keeping glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg) as standard drug. The biochemical parameters used in the study are blood glucose, plasma-insulin, lipid profiles, and antioxidant enzyme activity, using standard experimental procedure. The test result revealed that in normoglycemic rats the blood glucose level reduces to a significant (p<0.05) extent in a dose-dependent manner, while the hyperglycemic rats showed a progressive fall of blood sugar level in a significant extent (p<0.05 to 0.001) with an increase of plasma insulin level. The extract at the tested dose levels, significantly (p<0.05) increases the peripheral utilization of glucose by isolated rat hemi-diaphragm.