Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the antidiabetic potential of Emblica officinalis, Gaertn on diabetic rats.
Methods: The study investigated the anti-hyperglycemic potential of the aqueous fruit extract of amla (E. officianalis, for eleven weeks in streptozotocin-induced diabetic obese rats. The study utilized forty eight rats divided into four groups as follows. Untreated diabetic control (group 1) received 2 % gum acacia as vehicle; groups 2 and 3 were diabetic rats administered the fruit extract in 400 and 200 mg/kg doses, respectively; while group 4 (diabetic rats) received metformin (600 mg/kg) as reference drug. The parameters assessed weekly were body weight, as well as fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in venous blood.
Results: Both plant extract-treated groups showed significant (p <= 0.001) reduction in blood glucose levels in the fifth and sixth weeks compared to the metformin-treated group. Body weight significantly increased during the fourth, fifth and sixth weeks, being more pronounced in the extract-treated groups (272 +/- 15.0 g and 227 +/- 7.23 g for 200 and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively; the corresponding body weight for untreated diabetic control was 197 +/- 9.83 g. Furthermore, both extract doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) produced significant decrease (p >= 0.05) in serum glucose (186 +/- 15.5 mg/L and 146 +/- 15.1 mg/L), cholesterol (143.6 +/- 0.86 mg/L and 151.0 +/- 0.77mg/L) and triglyceride (82.6 +/- 0.51mg/dl and 84.8 +/- 0.84 m/dl) levels, respectively, similar to the metformin treated group.
Conclusion: The anti-diabetic activity of the aqueous extract of E. officianalis used showed a better potential than metformin.