Antidiabetic potential of Costus igneus leaf in streptozotocin induced diabetic wistar albino rats

Abstract

Traditional herbal medicinal plants leaves essentially reduced the fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels and bringing them down towards normal. The present study was aimed to evaluate acute toxicity, in vivo anti-diabetic effect of C. igneus on streptozotocin induced diabetic wistar albino rats by estimating total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. The result of acute toxicity study revealed that various tested extracts did not show any mortality at all tested concentration. Further, hexane extract of C. igneus leaves at 200mg showed significant (P<0.001) reduction in blood sugar level (114.8± 7.08) while in case of 400mg hexane leaf extract this reduction in sugar level (91.6± 6.12) was started from day 7th to 28th day. Further, the same treatment also showed highly significant (P<0.001) reduction in blood urea nitrogen (30.52±1.42) and it was equipotent as that of Glibenclamide. Similarly significant reduction in serum creatinine level was observed at 400 mg/kg in all the three leaf extracts of C. igneus and was similar to the effect produced by that of Glibenclamide. The present study explored the significant anti-diabetic potential of C. igneus and from the results of the study it can be concluded that C. igneus can be used as safe and cost-effective herbal drug for the treatment of diabetes.