Der Pharmacia Lettre
Abstract
Author(s): Laxmidhar Maharana, Snigdha Pattnaik, Durga M. Kar,
Pratap K. Sahu, Sudam C. Si
The hypoglycemic potential of aqueous (50, 100 mg/kg) extract of leaves of Solanum nigrum
Linn (Solanaceae) was evaluated by normoglycemic rats followed by alloxan and glucose loaded
hyperglycemic rats by single oral administration. The plant extract was subjected to the study of
presence of different phytoconstituents by using standard qualitative chemical methods. The
preliminary antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated by spectrophotometric method,
according to the FolinÃ?¢Ã?â?¬Ã?â??Ciocalteu procedure for estimation of total phenolic content and
calculated as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), whereas total flavonoid content was determined
spectrophotometrically and expressed as quercetin equivalents. The related parameters like
hematological, biochemical profiles including body weight variation study were also carried out
in 30-days treated diabetic rats. The study report showed that the plant extract significantly
(p<0.01 to p<0.001) reduces blood glucose level both in normoglycemic and hyperglycemic rats
induced by alloxan and oral glucose loaded methods till the end of 10h and 4h respectively
during the course of experiment. The preliminary phytochemical study report revealed that the
test extract contain carbohydrate, poly peptides, saponin, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids,
terpinoids, coumarin; as phytoconstituents, whereas the Total phenolic and Total flavonoid
content of the extract registered 33.83 �Ž�¼g of pyrocatechol equivalent /500mg , 5.86 mg
equivalent of quercetin /gm respectively. The hematological, biochemical and loss of body
weight study report are in good agreement with the activity and safety profile of the plant
extract. The experimental results of the above studies indicate that the aqueous extract of the
leaves of Solanum nigrum Linn endowed with potential anti-hyperglycemic activity presumably
due to free radical scavenging potential of the test extract.
