IMPACT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF GRACILARIA DURA IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS.
Abstract
Author(s): Biji Cyriac, K. Eswaran
The intake of food and control of blood glucose levels are very important in diabetic patients. To find out a potential component from seaweed, with anti-hyperglycemic effects, methanolic extract of a red seaweed Gracilaria dura , which contains complex mixtures of various types of bioactive compounds, which are having the hypoglycaemic effect was evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats by using two different doses (200 and 400 mg kg-1 body weight). Blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, haemoglobin, serum lipids of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), phospholipids, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and plasma insulin were examined in control and seaweed extract treated experimental rats. The aqueous extract was orally administered for 28 days. The results showed that the aqueous extract of Gracilaria dura significantly (p<0.05) reduced blood glucose level and restored the glycosylated haemoglobin and plasma insulin. These results demonstrate that Gracilaria dura could be useful in the development of anti-diabetic drugs. Key words: Gracilaria dura, Seaweed, alloxan, glycosylated haemoglobin, plasma Insulin, Glipizide
