Hypoglycaemic activity of Hexachlamys edulis (Yvahai) extract in rats

Abstract

The hypoglycaemic activity of the extract of the crude drug Yvahai (Hexachlamys edulis, Myrtaceae) was assessed on normoglycaemic and alloxan-diabetic rats. After 7 days of oral treatment at 100 mg extract/kg body weight, Yvahai significantly reduced glycaemia in normal (p<0.02) and diabetic (p<0.05) rats during an oral glucose tolerance test. The maximum effect was observed between 1.5 and 2.5 h after glucose administration in normoglycaemic rats, and at 1.0 h in diabetic animals. The extract, however, did not have a statistically significant effect on the basal glycaemia of untreated compared with treated rats. A single oral dose of 500 mg extract/kg administered to normoglycaemic rats 1 h before glucose, elicited a significant reduction (p < 0.02) in the percent increase in glycaemia compared with vehicle-treated animals. The effect was comparable to a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg tolbutamide. During the oral toxicity study, animals exhibited no symptoms of drug-induced toxicity with doses up to 5 g/kg.