INTRODUCTION:

Diabetes mellitus is a complex chronic condition that is a major source of ill health worldwide. This metabolic disorder is characterized by hyperglycemia and disturbances in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolisms, secondary to an absolute or relative lack of the hormone insulin. Besides hyperglycemia, several other factors including hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia are involved in the development of micro vascular and macro vascular complications of diabetes, which are the major causes of morbidity and death^.[1] The incidence of diabetes mellitus is increasing all over the world and is becoming a problem of significant importance. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared India as the diabetic capital of the world. Globally diabetes affects 246 million people, which is about 6% of the total adult population. It is fourth leading cause of death by disease and every 10 seconds, a person dies from a diabetes related cause in the world ^[2]. The growing number of diabetic patients and the current probable future health care constraint will mean that high quality diabetic care will become increasingly difficult to be delivered in the future.

This requires identification and implementation of cost effective treatment measures that will improve diabetic care in the long term, decrease the associated morbidity and reduce the high direct and indirect costs or its management. This can be possible by incorporation of cost effective and efficient medicinal plants in the management of diabetes ^[2]. Long term complications arising due to diabetes mellitus and serious side effects shown by synthetic hypoglycemic agents has continued the search for more effective and safer ant diabetic agent ^[3]. Oral hypoglycemic agents are useful in the treatment of diabetes but their use is restricted by their pharmacokinetic properties, secondary failure rates and accompanying side effects ^[4] .This has highlighted the importance and relevance of traditional medicinal plants ^[2]. World Health Organization expert committee on diabetes has listed as one of its recommendations that traditional methods of treatment for diabetes should be further investigated ^[4]. Herbal medicinal products are defined as any medicinal product, exclusively containing one or more active substances. WHO report 80% of the world population relies on the drug from natural origin. A large number of plants are used in the treatment of diabetes. Less toxicity, better therapeutic effect, good patient compliance, and cost effectiveness are the reasons for choosing drug from natural origin^[5]. India has about 45,000 plant species and several thousands have been claimed to possess medicinal properties. Among Indian traditional medicinal plants, several potential anti-diabetic plants and herbs are being used as part of our diet since prehistoric times ^[2]. Nearly 100 polysaccharides from plants have been reported to have hypoglycemic activity. Some botanical polysaccharides are considered as important bioactive components responsible for hypoglycemic effects⁶. So different parts of the same plant are investigated time and now for anti-diabetic activity. Thus the current study aimed to investigate the Phytochemcial constituents and antidiabetic activity of Madhuca indica leaves in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON MADHUCA INDICA J.F. GMEL:

Madhuca indica Gmel belongs to the family Sapotaceae commonly known as mahua. Mahua is a large , shady, deciduous tree dotig much of the central Indian landscape, both wild and cultivated. Previous phytochemical studies on Madhuca indica included characterization of sapogenins, tripenoids, steroids, saponins, flavonoids, and glycosides. The medicinal properties attributed to this plant are stimulant, anti pyretic, analgesic, anti inflammatory and so on.

Shekawat and Vijayvergia reported that the crude methanolic extract of M.indica showed analgesic, anti-inflammatory ad antipyretic activities , similar to those observed for non-steroidal drugs such as phenyl butazone and paracetamol ^[7].

Pavan Kumar et al reported that the methanolic extract of M. indica has shown significant antidiabetic activity against streptozotocin and streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic models in wistar rats ^[8].

Bandari and Pandurangan reported that the methanolic extract of M.indica reduced the blood glucose level in streptzotocin induced diabetic rats ^[9].

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Plant Material:

Madhuca indica leaves were collected from Madurai District, Tamilnadu, India. The species were identified and authenticated at the Department of Botany, American College, Madurai, Tamilnadu.

Extraction:

The fresh leaves were washed under running water, followed by rinsing with distilled water, shade dried and pulverized in a mechanical grinder to obtain coarse powder. The dried powdered leaves was extracted with different solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous water by soxhelation process at a temperature not exceeding the boiling point of solvent (Table 1).

Preliminary Phytochemical Investigations:

Preliminary phyto chemical screening of Madhuca indica Linn leaf powder was done as for standard methods and the results are presented in the Table2. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, flavanoids, fatty acids, tannins, saponins and phenolic compounds in the ethanol and aqueous extracts.

Table 1: Yield of extracts

S. No

Solvent

Yield of extract

Petroleum ether

Chloroform

Ethanol

Aqueous

Table 2: Result of Preliminary Phytochemical Investigations of Madhuca indica Linn.

Name of the constituents	Pet. Ether extract	Chloroform extract	Ethanol extract	Aqueous extract
Sterols	-	-	+	+
Terpernoids	-	-	+	+
Carbohydrate	-	-	-	-
Flavanoids	-	-	+	+
Proteins	-	-	-	-
Alkaloids	-	-	-	-
Glycosides	-	-	-	-
Tannins	-	-	+	+
Saponins	-	-	+	-
Phenolic Compounds	-	+	+	+
Fixed oil and Fats	-	-	+	+

(+) Presence of constituents

(-) Absence of constituents

Experimental Animals:

Male albino rats weighing between 150-250 gm were chosen for the study. They were allowed free access to food (standard pellet diet) and water ad. libitum. The animals were housed in cages under ambient temperature and lighting. The experimental protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee. The animals were divided into 5 groups of 3 rats each. All the chemicals used for the study were of analytical grade.

Induction of Diabetes:

Diabetes was induced in rats by the intraperitoneel injection of alloxan monohydrate at a dose of 150mg/kg b.w. dissolved in citrate buffer. Each animal with a blood glucose level grater than 200mg/dl was considered to be diabetic.

Experimental Design:

The fasting blood glucose levels of all the rats were determined before the start of the experiment. The rats were divided into five groups consisting of 3 rats each.

Group I : Normoglycemic control group, administered vehicle served as control

Group II : Diabetic control, administered alloxan served as control

Group III: Diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide 10mg/kg.

Group IV: Diabetic rats treated with ethanolic extract 500mg/kg once daily.

Group V : Diabetic rats treated aqueous extract 500mg/kg.

The 5 groups were given the agents for 7 days. The blood glucose levels of animals were recorded on day 0, 3 and 7. The blood was collected by puncturing tail vein.

Statistical analysis:

The values were analyzed with one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). All the results are expressed as mean ± SEM for 3 rats in each group. P values of less than 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.

RESULTS:

Table 3 summarizes the effects of alloxan and treatment on serum glucose. From the biochemical evidence it is clearly evident that alloxan showed a significant increase in the blood glucose levels as compared with normal rats. Oral administration of the ethanolic extract and aqueous extract significantly reversed the glucose level when compared with the normoglycemic rats. Oral administration of the ethanolic extract and aqueous extract significantly reversed the glucose level when compared with the diabetic control.

DISCUSSION:

Diabetes mellitus of long duration is associated with many complications and have long been assumed to be related to chemically elevated blood glucose level. Diabetes mellitus causes disturbances in the uptake of glucose as well as glucose metabolism⁶.

The ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the leaves of Madhuca indica significantly decreased the serum glucose level in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic affects of Madhuca indica may result from the potentiation of insulin from existing β-cells of the islets of langerhans. The plasma glucose lowering effect of Madhuca indica extract was compared with glibenclamide, a standard hypoglycemic drug and both were found to be effective in reducing blood glucose level in diabetic rats. Certain plants like Momordica charantia, Gymnem sylvestre, Ocimum, Sanctum, Costus speciosus, Aegle marmelos, Tinospora cordifolia have found to be effective in reducing blood sugar levels in diabetic rats⁸.

CONCLUSION:

We conclude that the ethanolic and aqueous extract of Madhuca indica leaves was effective in decreasing the serum glucose level in diabetic rats. This evidence suggests that the leaf of Madhuca indica could be beneficial for the protection and alleviation of diabetic complications. Further studies need to be carried out to strengthen the current evidence.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Sikarwar MS and Patil MB (2010). Antidiabetic activity of Pogamia pinnata leaf extracts in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Int J of Ayurveda Res. 1(4): 199-204.

2. Apparna K, Spandana S, and Poshadri A (2010). Medicinal plants for Diabetes mellitus. Health Action. 32-34.

3. Juvekar AR and Bandawane DD. (2009). Antihypergycemic and Antihyperlipidemic activity of Aegle marmelos (L.) leaf extract I streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Indian Drugs. 46(7): 43-49.

4. Sikarwar MS and Patil MB (2010). Preparation and evaluation of antidiabetic polyherbal formulation. Indian Drugs.47(12):27-34.

5. Chandira M and Jayakar BB (2010). Formulation and evaluation of herbal tablets containing Ipomoea digitata Linn. Extract. Int J of Pharm Sci Rev and Res. 3(1):101-110.

6. Daisy P, Eliza J and Ignacimuthu S (2008).Influence of Costus speciosus (Koen.)Sm. rhizome extracts on biochemical parameters in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Journal of Health Science. 54(6):675-681.

7. Shekawat N and Vijayvergia (2010). International Journal of Molecular Medicine and Advance Sciences.6 (2):26-30 [doi:10.3923/ijmmas.2010.26.30].

8. Pavan Kumar K, Vidyasagar G, Ramakrishna D, Madhusudhana Reddy I, Gupta Atyam VSSS and Sarva Raidu Ch (2011). Screening of Madhuca indica for antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin and streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic rats. International Journal of PharmTech Reseearch.3 (2):1073-1077.

9. Chaudhary A, Bhandari A and Pandurangan A (2011). Antidiabetic activity of methanolic extract of Madhuca indica in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Development. 3(4).

Received on 22.11.2013 Modified on 05.12.2013

Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 7(2): Feb. 2014; Page 188-190

S. No	Group	Serum Glucose mg/dl
S. No	Group	‘0’ day	3^rd day	7^th day
1.	Untreated control	85.20±0.69*	85.75±0.94*	85.49±0.89*
2.	Diabetic control	274.98±8.92	343.46±26.63	433.45±25.06
3.	Diabetic + glibenclamide (10mg/kg)	252±2.75*	149±3.77	108±1.7*
4.	Diabetic + Ethanolic extract (500mg/kg)	258.74±10.79	152.32±10.67	110.79±6.971*
5.	Diabetic + Aqueous extract (500mg/kg)	255.10±10.25	158.79±9.24	113.09±7.30*