Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effects of Gymnema Sylvestre in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Sprague Dawley Rats

Background: Gymnema sylvestre is a medicinal plant use in traditional medicine for management of various diseases. The present study investigated the phytochemical, anti-diabetic and hypoglycemic properties of the methanol leaves extract of Gymnema sylvestre in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

>Methods: A total of twenty (20) alloxan (120 mg/kg bw) induced diabetic rats were grouped into 4 (A-D) and treated with 0, 250 and 500 mg/ kg bw of methanol leave extract of Gymnema sylvestre and 2.5mg/kg bw glibenclimide respectively.

Results: Methanol leaves extract of Gymnema sylvestre contains saponin (23.85±2.35 mg/g) as the most abundant phytochemical in the extract followed by total phenol (19.77±0.55 mg/g), tannins (16.00±0.34 mg/g), alkaloids (13.84±0.06 mg/g) and total flavonoids (8.56±0.52 mg/g). The extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg bw exhibited 81.75% and 82.12% in vivo hypoglycemic and increase the weight gain of animals when compared with untreated control. The extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg also causes a significant (P<0.05) and dose dependent decrease in the elevated triglycerides (147.37±5.52 and 145.42±5.10 mg/dL), total cholesterol (132.30±16.88 and 130.25±21.10 mg/dL), and increase high density-lipoprotein (21.12±0.66 and 44.03±4.58 mg/dL) when compared with triglyceride (259.32±68.79 mg/dL), total cholesterol (228.45±4.36 mg/dL) and high density-lipoprotein (22.27±2.08mg/dL) in untreated rats.

Conclusion: Methanol leaf extract of Gymnema sylvestres contains important phytochemicals that has beneficial effect in reducing the elevated blood glucose level and significant ameliorative effects on hyperglycemic induced dyslipidemia.

Keywords:Gymnema sylvestre; Hypoglycaemia; Hypolipidemia; Diabetes; Phytochemicals