ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND ANTIHYPERLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITIES OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF FICUS RACEMOSA (L.) IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETES MICE

Chand Sultana, Naznin Ara khatune, A. K. Azad, Bytul Mokaddesur Rahman and Mir Imam Ibne Wahed*

The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity of ethanolic extracts of different parts from the plant Ficus racemosa (FR) in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (100mg/kg) in Swiss Albino Mice. Metformin HCl (150mg/kg body weight, op.) was used as a standard antidiabetic agent. After oral administration of fruits (300 mg/kg) and bark extracts (300 mg/kg), changes in blood sugar levels, body weight and organ weight were measured for seven days. At the end of the experiment blood samples were analyzed for the estimation of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), phospholipid levels and liver glycogen content. The result indicated that oral ingestion of FR extracts significantly reduced blood glucose levels in Group-DFF (50.45%) and Group-DFB (60.53%) when compared to Group-DC mice. Short-term treatment did not alter the body weight among the mice; however the liver weight to body weight ratios were significantly reduced in Group-DFF and Group-DFB. Administration of extracts greatly reduced the serum cholesterols, triglycerides, phospholipids levels and the glycogen content were significantly restored in Group-DFF and Group-DFB as compared to Group-DC mice. Our findings suggested that extracts from different parts of Ficus racemosa have glucose and lipid lowering efficacy and may have some beneficial effects in patients with diabetes.