In vivo and in vitro antidiabetic potentials of methanol extract of Tephrosia pumila against alloxan-induced diabetes in experimental animals

OBJECTIVE: The objective present investigation was to determine the in vivo and in vitro antidiabetic potentials of the methanol extract of Tephrosia pumila. METHODS: The present study was designed to evaluate the acute and chronic effects of the methanol extract of T. pumila (TPME- Methanol extract of Tephrosia pumila) against alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. For acute study, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed to check the ability of the TPME to utilize oral glucose load and the chronic study of 21 days was done to assess the effect of TPME for long time in diabetic rats and its effect was compared with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg i. p). The in vitro α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory properties were performed and IC(50) values were determined. The glucose uptake by rat hemidiaphragm model was also used to evaluate potentials of the TPME to enhance utilization of the blood glucose by peripheral tissues. RESULTS: In OGTT, blood glucose level was significantly reduced in glibenclamide and TPME at 200 and 400 mg/kg treated animals compared to diabetic control group. In chronic model, the TPME effectively reduced abnormalities of diabetes in therapeutic groups. Both α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitor assays have exhibited significant IC(50) values and also increased utilization of glucose by the skeletal muscle. CONCLUSION: The results of the present investigation recommend that TPME possess significant in vivo antidiabetic property. The data of the study also suggest that the enhancement of insulin secretion and reduction of insulin resistances are the mode of antidiabetic activity shown by TPME.