In-vivo assessment of antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of grapevine leaves (Vitis vinifera) in diabetic rats.

The acute and the subacute (15 days) hypoglycaemic and antihyperglycaemic effect of the two different doses (250, 500 mg/kg) of the aqueous extract from the leaves of Vitis vinifera L. were evaluated in this study. The aqueous extract was further fractionated through successive solvent extractions and the acute effect of different doses of its subfractions, 25 mg/kg for ethylacetate fraction, 80 mg/kg for n-butanol fraction and 375 mg/kg for remaining aqueous fraction were investigated using normal, glucose-hyperglycaemic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Blood glucose levels were measured according to the glucose oxidase method. Tolbutamide was used as a reference drug at a dose of 100 mg/kg. The antioxidant activity of the test samples was studied in the liver, kidney and heart tissues of diabetic rats by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathion (GSH) levels. All results were compared to the diabetic control groups. The results showed that EtOAc Fr. was rich in polyphenolics and possessed a significant antihyperglycaemic and antioxidant activity equipotent with the reference hypoglycaemic agent (tolbutamide), when evaluated in diabetic rats.