Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder, characterized by absolute or relative deficiency in insulin secretion or insulin action. Currently available synthetic antidiabetic drugs used in clinical practice have characteristic profiles of adverse side effects. Plant based drugs are considered to be less toxic and free from adverse effects in comparison to modern allopathic medicines. Aloe vera L. (Syn.: Aloe barbadensis Miller; Hindi: Ghikanvar; AV) is a cactus-like perennial plant belonging to family Liliaceae (sub-family of the Asphodelaceae), native to North Africa and cultivated in warm climatic areas. The present work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic potency of Aloe vera gel extract using alloxan induced experimental diabetic rats and its effect were compared with reference glibenclamide (GL). Inbreed adult male Charles-Foster (CF) albino rats were used in the experiment for hypoglycemic activity in oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and normoglycemic rats, and antidiabetic activity in alloxan induced rats. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that AV showed positive response to alkaloids, saponins and triterpenes, tannins, flavonoids, carbohydrates and sterols. Further, the AV showed total phenolic content (135.8 mg/g). Results revealed in the present experiment that the routine post-treatment for 21 days with the AV showed potential hypoglycemic activity in OGTT and normoglycemic rats and antidiabetic activity in alloxanized rats. In conclusion, isolation and establishment of exact mechanism of action of specific compound from AV is to be carried out in the future.
