Synergistic Effect of Leaf Extracts of Ficus hispida and Psidium guajava for Anti-Diabetic Activity on Wistar Rats

 

M. Mounica*, G. Tanuja Lakshmi, K. Manaswini, D. Eswar Tony, A. Narendra Babu

Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chalapathi Nagar, Lam, Guntur

 

ABSTRACT:

Ficus hispida (tropical fig tree) is a moderate sized tree which is commonly known as devil fig, traditionally used in the ailment of pain, inflammation, and neurological disorders. Psidium guajava (Guava/peru)is a well-known tropical tree and also used as a folk herbal tea used to treat diabetes and leaves were used as astringent, anodyne, febrifuge, antispasmodic, tonic, in wounds, cholera, lactagouge, diarrhoea, vomiting and variety of diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, hypertension, gastroenteritis, diabetes, cough, oral ulcers etc., The aim of the present study is set out to evaluate the anti-diabetic activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of ficus hispida and psidium guajava on streptozocin induced diabetized rats. The leaf extracts at a dose of 100mg/kg were screened for their blood glucose lowering effectamong streptozocin induced diabetized rats and the blood samples were collected through the tail vein from which blood glucose levels were determinedat 0h, 1h, 2h and 4hafter administration of test samples. Both the leaf extracts of Ficus hispida and Psidium guajava produced significant (p0.01) decrease in the blood glucose levels. The ethanolic extract of leaves of Ficus hispida and Psidium guava produced synergistic effect when compared with standard by showing an effective response on diabetic rats. These plants supported the folk fore claim of anti-diabetic activity. Further investigations are needed for the proper identification and isolation of these bioactive compounds to produce safer drugs for treatment of harmful diseases.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Diabetes is a disorder characterised by chronic hyperglycemia, glycosuria, hyperlipidaemia, negative nitrogen balance together with biochemical alterations of glucose and lipid metabolism. Liver is an Insulin dependent tissue, plays a pivotal role in glucose and lipid homeostasis which get adversely affected during diabetes¹. Many traditional plants are used in the treatment of the diabetes but only few plants has received scrutiny. According to WHO, 8.7% population was suffering with diabetes as a growing challenge of age group 20-70 years in India.

 

There are four main types of diabetes. They are

Type 1.    Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile onset diabetes mellitus

Type 2.    Noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus or mature onset diabetes mellitus

Type 3.    Alzheimer’s disease from resistant insulin

Type 4.    Gestational diabetes

 

Ficus hispida (tropical fig tree)is a moderate sized tree which is commonly known as devil fig, traditionally used in the ailment of pain, inflammation, and neurological disorders². Ficus hispida is documented to possess anti-diarrheal activity³, anti ulcerogenicactivity⁴, cardio protective⁵, sedative, anti-convulsant⁶, neuroprotective, antineoplastic⁷, anti-inflammatory⁸, antipyrectic, hepatoprotective effects⁹ and anti-oxidant activity¹⁰. The presence of phytoconstituents like tannins such as hispidine, β-sitosterol, lupeol, β-amyrin and bergapten have been reported¹¹.

Psidium guajava (Guava/peru) is a well-known tropical, small tree or shrub also used as a folk herbal tea¹² used to treat diabetes and leaves are used in traditionalmedicine as astringent, anodyne, febrifuge, antispasmodic, in wounds, ulcers, cholera, diarrhoea, vomiting¹³, for swollen gums andulceration of mouth¹⁴. Biological activities, viz. anti-diabetic^15,16, anti hyperlipidemic^17,18, antidiarrheal¹⁹, antioxidant^20,21,22, antitussive, antimicrobial²³, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, CNS depressant²⁴, topical haemostatic²⁵, anti-amoebic²⁶ actions of various extracts of leaves of the plant have been reported. The leaves contain catechol, tannins, wax, resins, sugars, carotene, vitamins A, B_1, B_2, B₆, niacin²⁷.

 

No scientific study is carried out on the leaves of the plants for their synergistic effect on diabetes. Our aim is to evaluate the efficacy of both plants in lowering the blood glucose levels. In the present study attempts were made to study the phytochemical and pharmacological activities of the plant especially anti-diabetic activity of the leaves of both Ficus hispida and Psidium guajava belonging to the family Moraceae and Myrtaceae respectively.

 

Fig.No-1: Ficus hispida Leaf

 

Fig. No-2: Psidium gujava Leaf

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Plant materials:

Leaves of Ficus hispida and Psidium guajava (guava) were collected from the medicinal garden of Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and authenticated by Dr. P. Sathyanarayana Raju, Dept. of botany and microbiology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. The handpicked leaves were dried in shade for a period of 10 days at an ambient temperature of 30 C and was made into a fine powder.

 

Extraction of plant material:

The powdered leaves were extracted with ethanol in a soxhlet apparatus. The extracts were dried in a rotary vacuum evaporator and successively in a hot air oven till semi solid to solid mass. The extracts were then suspended in tween 80 at a concentration of 100mg/kg and used in all experimental procedure.

 

Drugs and chemicals:

The drug streptozocin and glibenclamide were purchased from the Sigma-Aldrich.

 

Preliminary phytochemical screening²⁸:

The leaf extracts of both the plants were subjected to qualitative tests for the identification of various active constituents like carbohydrates, glycosides, alkaloids, steroids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins etc., by using standard test procedures.

 

Experimental Animals:

Normal healthy Wistar rats (200g) of either sex were used in the present study. The experimental protocol was priorly approved by the Institutional animal ethics committee of Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Approval No.07/IAEC/CLPT/2017-18; dated 29/11/2017. The animals were allowed to acclimatize to laboratory conditions for 48hrs before the start of the experiment. The animals were divided into four groups of each containing five animals, maintained under their respective controlled temperature conditions for 30 days before the experiment of 12 hrs light and dark cycles. The animals were fasted for 18hrs prior to the experiment allowing access of water only, deprived of food and water during the observation period.

 

Experimental design:

Wistar rats were divided into 5groups of each group containing five animals.

Group I.           Inducing group (Streptozocin, 60mg/kg)

Group II.        Positive group (Glibenclamide, 10mg/kg)

Group III.      Ficus hispida ethanolic extract (FHEE, 100 mg/Kg)

Group IV.      Psidium guajava ethanolic extract (PGEE, 100 mg/Kg)

Group V.        FHEE + PGEE (100mg/Kg)

 

Experimental induction of diabetes^29,30,31:

Diabetes was induced by single peritoneal injection of a freshly prepared solution of STZ at a dose of 60mg/kg bodyweight. Diabetes was developed and stabilized in these STZ treated rats over a period of 7 days. Blood samples were collected from the tail vein and glucose levels were estimated at 0 hr, 1hr, 2hr and 4hr after STZ administration. The rats with blood glucose levels above 250mg/dl were considered to be diabetic and used for the experiment.

 

Experimental procedure:

All the animals in each group were fed with standard pellet and water. Each of the control and test groups consist of 5 animals. The treatments were continued daily for 7 days, blood sample was collected from the tail vein and blood glucose levels were determined at 0 hr, 1hr, 2hr and 4hr after administration of test samples.

 

Statistical analysis:

All values were expressed as mean standard error of mean. Statistical significance was made by using Two way ANOVA multiple comparison tests using graph pad prism 4.0 software.

 

RESULTS:

The phytochemical constituents are identified by following certain standard tests.

 

Table 1: Phytochemical analysis of Ficus hispida and Psidium guajava

+++: Present   --- : Absent

 

 

 

 

Table No-2: Effect of FHEE and PGEE on Blood Glucose Level (mg/dl)

 

 

Fig No-3: Effect of FHEE and PGEE on Blood Glucose level (mg/dL). Data are repre­sented as mean ± SEM. The significance of differences was analysed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparisons test**** p <0.0001 versus Vehicle control.

 

DISCUSSION:

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most possible world’s largest growing metabolic disease. The knowledge on the heterogeneity of this disorder is advanced and there is a need for increased and more appropriate therapy. Traditional plant medicines are using throughout the world for a range of diabetic presentations. The study of these traditional and conventional approaches offer a natural key to unlock a diabetologist’s pharmacy for the future. The treatment goal for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is generally to achieve normal glycemic control in patient with type-II diabetes mellitus. Type-II diabetes is characterized by reduced circulating concentration of insulin; poor insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance and poor glucose tolerance resulting in high blood glucose level. Diabetes mellitus of long duration is associated with several complications such as atherosclerosis.

 

The present study revealed that the ethanolic extract of leaves of Ficus hispida had phytoconstituents like steroids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins and the ethanolic extracts of Psidium guajava had revealed the presence of steroids, glycosides, tannins, saponins and flavonoids. From the pharmacological study and data of results obtained both the test formulations (Ethanolic extract of Ficus hispida and Psidium guajava) alleviated the potency and signs to treat diabetes. The results showed that the anti-diabetic activity of both the plants was due to the presence of rich amount of bioactive phytoconstituents i.e flavonoids in the extract. These findings suggest the potential for the use of leaf extracts in the treatment of diabetes.

 

CONCLUSION:

The results shown that Ficus hispda and Psidium guajava leaves possess significant and potential anti-diabetic activity, while the combination of both herbal preperations possesses moderate synergistic activity. Hence these herbals can be used as an effective oral antidiabetic herbal medicine.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are thankful to Principal and Management of Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences for providing all necessary facilities for carrying the research work.

 

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Accepted on 17.12.2019           © RJPT All right reserved

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2020; 13(6): 2877-2880.