EVALUATION OF INVIVO METHOD OF ANTI DIABETIC ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF PTEROCARPUS SANTALINUSS IN RATS

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. It is associated with disturbances in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism and can lead to serious complications involving the cardiovascular system, kidneys, nerves, eyes, and liver. The global prevalence of diabetes continues to increase at an alarming rate. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 366 million people were living with diabetes in 2011, and this number is expected to rise to 552 million by 2030. In India, nearly 40 million people were affected in 2007, with the number projected to increase to almost 70 million by 2025. The growing burden of diabetes has stimulated interest in the search for safer and more effective antidiabetic agents from medicinal plants. Aim: To evaluate the in vivo antidiabetic activity of the ethanolic leaf extract of Pterocarpus santalinus (EEPSL) in alloxan-induced and dexamethasone-induced diabetic rat models. Materials and Methods: Acute oral toxicity studies of the ethanolic leaf extract of Pterocarpus santalinus were carried out in albino rats according to OECD Guideline No. 425. The extract was found to be safe up to an oral dose of 2000 mg/kg. Based on the toxicity study, doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight were selected for evaluation. Diabetes was induced using alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg, i.p.) and dexamethasone (10 mg/kg, i.p.). EEPSL was administered orally at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg for 21 days in the alloxan model and 11 days in the dexamethasone model. At the end of the experimental period, fasting blood glucose, serum lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, and VLDL), and hepatic marker enzymes (SGPT, SGOT, and ALP) were estimated using a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer. Results: EEPSL produced significant dose-dependent antidiabetic activity in both experimental models. The 400 mg/kg dose showed greater efficacy than the 200 mg/kg dose. Treatment with EEPSL significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL, SGPT, SGOT, and ALP levels while significantly increasing HDL cholesterol compared with diabetic control rats. These findings indicate that the extract effectively improved hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and diabetes-associated hepatic dysfunction. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that the ethanolic leaf extract of Pterocarpus santalinus possesses significant antidiabetic activity in experimental diabetic rats. The extract effectively ameliorated hyperglycemia, improved lipid abnormalities, and normalized hepatic biochemical markers. The increase in HDL cholesterol also suggests a potential cardioprotective effect. Therefore, Pterocarpus santalinus leaf extract may serve as a promising natural therapeutic agent for the management of diabetes mellitus. However, further phytochemical investigations, mechanistic studies, and clinical trials are required to establish its therapeutic potential.