Arumugam Saravana Kumar, Subramanian Kavimani and Korlakunta Narasimha Jayaveera
The leaf of Chloris barbata (SW.) belongs to the family Poaceae is used in Indian system of traditional medicine to treat diabetes mellitus. The present study investigates the in vivo anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities of methanolic extract Chloris barbata (SW.) (MECB) leaves in normal, glucose-loaded hyperglycemic and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Acute toxicity was studied in rats after the oral dose of MECB to determine the dose to assess the anti-diabetic activity. Oral administration of MECB did not exhibit toxicity and mortality at a dose of 2000mg/kg. MECB (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) was administered to STZ (40 mg/kg, i.p) induced diabetic rats for 28 days. The three doses of MECB showed a significant decrease in blood glucose and significant increase in plasma insulin and liver glycogen levels in treated diabetic rats. Further, MECB showed anti-hyperlipidemic activity as evidenced by significant decrease in serum TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C levels and significant increase in HDL-C level in treated diabetic rats. MECB also restored the altered plasma enzymes such as SGOT, SGPT and ALP, total protein, liver glycogen levels to near normal. The effect of MECB was comparable to the standard drug glibenclamide. Results of this experimental study indicated that MECB possessed anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities.
