Anti- diabetic activity of Ethanolic extrct of Portulaca qudrifida leaves

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder of impaired carbohydrates, fat and protein metabolism. It is characterized by hyperglycemia expressed as abnormal glucose value, which is due to insulin deficiency and/or insulin resistance which results in decrease utilization of carbohydrate and excessive glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis from amino acid by fatty acids. A single dose of Alloxan monohydrate (120 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce diabetes mellitus. Diabetes was confirmed by the elevated blood glucose levels determined at 72 hrs. Animals with blood glucose level more than 250 mg/dl were considered as diabetes. Plant extract at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg of ethanol extract and the standard drug glibenclamide 1 mg/kg, were administered as single dose per day orally to diabetes induced rats for a period of 21 days were studied on blood glucose. In the diabetic rats, all the two doses of plant extract produced a significant reduction in blood glucose levels.