Pharmacological Assessment of Antidiabetic Potential of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Cassia fistula Linn. in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Major public health problem “diabetes” is approaching epidemic proportions globally and increasing at alarming rate all over the world. The Medicinal plants of India plays important role in the management of diabetes as they possess potent activity against diabetes. The present study protocol is aimed to evaluate antidiabetic activities of hydroalcoholic extract of Cassia fistula pod in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in the rats by single intraperitoneal administration of Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg b.wt.). C. fistula pod extract at three different doses (100, 200 and 500 mg/kg b.wt./day) were administered orally with for 30 days to diabetic rats. The results were compared with standard drug glibenclamide (5 mg/kg b.wt./day) treated rats. The results showed that streptozotocin treated diabetic control rats suffered with decrease in the body weight and glycogen content in the liver as well as significant increase in the blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels as compared to normal control rats. Oral administration of C. fistula pod extract or glibenclamide to diabetic animals for 30 days increased body weight and hepatic glycogen content and significant reduction in the blood glucose and HbA1c levels and as compared to diabetic control rats. The present results and study showed that C. fistula pod possess significant antidiabetic activity.