Enhanced oral administration of insulin by the herbal formulation of desmodium gangeticum: An in vivo study

Background: Oral administration of peptide hormones like insulin is challenging due to its structural instability, which is often broken by the digestive enzymes and other environmental factors during absorption in the intestine. The present study deals with the protective effect of the herbal drug Desmodium gangeticum on the stability of the peptide hormone, insulin, in oral dosage. Hypothesis: Herbal extract of Desmodium gangeticum increase the oral stability of insulin for Diabetes treatment. Method: Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes was developed in male Wistar rats (170 - 190g) and treated with STZ (65mg/kg) in 0.02M citrate saline buffer. A blood glucose level exceeding 200 was considered diabetic. Rats were then treated orally with insulin in combination with Desmodium gangeticum for 4-5 days. After 12h of fasting, the rats were then decaptivated to obtain blood and tissue homogenates which were used to assess relevant parameters for biochemical assays. Result: Combinatorial therapy of insulin and Desmodium gangeticum on oral dosage produced a significance decrease in blood glucose levels in STZ-induced diabetic rats, as evident by biochemical analysis. Conclusion: The overall results suggest the aqueous extract of Desmodium gangeticum is a possible candidate for oral delivery of insulin for Diabetes treatment.