Hypoglycaemic activity of extracts of the aerial parts of <i>Satureja punctata</i> Benth. Briq in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

Abstract

The ethnopharmacological use of herbal remedies for the treatment of diabetes mellitus is an area of study ripe with potential as a starting point in the development of alternative, inexpensive therapies for treating the disease. In the traditional health care system of Ethiopia, the aerial parts of Satureja punctata (Benth.) Briq. (Lamiaceae) are used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and various other ailments. This study reports the antidiabetic activity of the total hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts as well as the various solvent fractions of S. punctata in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The results which were compared with glibenclamide, a standard hypoglycaemic agent, and control groups revealed that the total extracts as well as the most polar solvent fractions possess significant antidiabetic effect while those of the the nonpolar fractions are devoid of any activity. At a concentration of 300 mg/kg the total hydroalcoholic extract reduced blood glucose level from 441.3 to 339.0 mg/dl while the aqueous extract lowered the level from 458.3 to 351.7 mg/dl on the 3rd hr after drug administration. Similarly, both the methanol and aqueous fractions showed activity with the former displaying a much better action. Thus, the methanol fraction showed a maximum reduction (38.1%) of blood glucose level while a reduction of 19.4% was observed for the aqueous fraction during the 3rd hr following the application. Moreover, the activity of the methanol fraction was proved to be in a dose-dependent manner. From the present study, it can be concluded that the aerial parts of S. punctata have genuine antidiabetic activity, and their use in traditional medicine to control diabetis mellitus may be justified.

Keywords/phrases: Antidiabetic activity, Glibenclamide, Hydroalcoholic extract, Lamiaceae, Satureja punctata solvent fractions

Ethiop. J. Biol. Sci., 9(2): 143-152, 2010