Antioxidant and protective effect of latex of Calotropis procera against alloxan-induced diabetes in rats.

In the present study, dry latex (DL) of Calotropis procera possessing potent anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated for its antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic effects against alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. Daily oral administration of DL at 100 and 400 mg/kg doses produced a dose-dependent decrease in the blood glucose and increase in the hepatic glycogen content. DL also prevented the loss of body weight in diabetic rats and brought down the daily water consumption to values comparable to normal rats. DL also produced an increase in the hepatic levels of the endogenous antioxidants, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione, while it brought down the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The efficacy of DL as an antioxidant and as an anti-diabetic agent was comparable to the standard anti-diabetic drug, glibenclamide.