Antidiabetic effects of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Convolvulaceae) is traditionally used to treat diabetes mellitus by tribal people of north-east India and Bangladesh.

Objectives: To evaluate the anti-diabetic effects of methanol and aqueous extracts of the aerial parts of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. in normal, glucose loaded and Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats.

Materials And Methods: The methanol (MECR) and aqueous (AECR) extracts (200 and 400mg/kg body weight) were administered orally to normal and diabetic rats with Metformin and solvent control as comparison groups. Long term effects like FBG, OGTT, lipid profile, HbA1c, body weight, histopathology of major organs, etc. were investigated.

Results: MECR and AECR did not have hypoglycemic effects in normal rats. Both AECR and MECR (400mg/kg) treatments showed significant reduction in blood glucose during OGTT in diabetic rats at 3h. Single oral administration of methanol and aqueous extracts (400mg/kg) to diabetic rats significantly reduced (p<0.05) blood glucose level to 61.90% and 55.39% respectively as compared to the Metformin group i.e. 68.32% at the end of 8h. MECR (400mg/kg body weight for 30 days to diabetic rats) showed a significant decrease (p<0.01) of blood glucose level to 60.00% as compared to other groups. The treatment also resulted an improvement in body weights, decreased HbA1c and restored lipid profile. Histopathological injury was not observed, rather repair of beta cells was seen in extract treated diabetic rats.

Conclusion: Methanolic extract of C. reflexa has significant antidiabetic effects and improves metabolic alterations thereby justifying its traditional folkloric claims.