Antidiabetic activity of aqueous bark extract of Cassia glauca in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The leaves and bark of Cassia glauca Lam., a glabrous tree in the family Fabaceae, are used in folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the antidiabetic activity of the aqueous extract of C. glauca bark. The various parameters that were studied in treated or untreated normoglycemic and STZ-induced diabetic rats included the effect of the aqueous extract on oral glucose tolerance, fasting blood glucose, body weight, serum lipids, liver glycogen, serum insulin, and glycosylated haemoglobin. Oral administration of the aqueous extract of C. glauca bark at a dose of 500 mg/kg significantly reduced the effect of external glucose load. In a chronic treatment model, aqueous extract and glibenclamide (0.25 mg/kg) were administered for 21 days. At the end of the treatment, there was a significant increase in liver glycogen, serum insulin, and HDL cholesterol for both treatments. A significant decrease in fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, total cholesterol, and serum triglycerides was also observed. The body weights of the animals were observed to be consistent throughout the study. The findings showed the significant antidiabetic potential of the extract in ameliorating the diabetic condition in the diabetic rats. No significant activity was found in the normoglycemic rats.