Antidiabetic properties of ethanolic fruit extract of <i>Solanium aethiopicum</i> L

Abstract

The blood sugar lowering effect of the ethanolic fruit extract of Solanium aethiopicum L. (Solanaceae) was investigated on normoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic rabbits. The hypoglycaemic effect of Solanium aethiopicum L. was evaluated in alloxan-induced hypoglycaemia in rabbits at a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight. The evaluation was also done in normoglycaemic rabbits. The hypoglycaemic efficacy of the extract was compared to that of a standard drug, tolbutamide. The LD₅₀ was determined using mice. At a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight of the extracts, the fasting blood sugar (FBS) of normal rabbits was reduced by 49.1 % compared to that of tolbutamide 200 mg/kg body weight that caused a greater reduction of FBS by 73.3%. In alloxanized rabbits, blood sugar level was reduced by 37.0% and 54.2% by the extract and tolbutamide respectively. The LD50 of the extract in mice was calculated to be 2154.1±69.7 mg/kg. S. aethiopicum was found to be less potent when compared to tolbutamide in terms of their ability to reduce the blood sugar levels.

Key words: Antidiabetic, ethanolic fruit extract, Solanium aethiopicum, hyperglycaemic, hypoglycaemic.

Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences Vol.2(2) 2004: 251-254