Hypoglycaemic effect of Musa sapientum L. in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

J Ethnopharmacol. 1999 Dec 15;68(1-3):321-5. doi: 10.1016/s0378-8741(99)00088-4.

Abstract

Musa sapientum L. ('Ney Poovan') commonly known as 'banana' is mainly used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Oral administration of 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25 g/kg of chloroform extract of the Musa sapientum flowers (MSFEt) for 30 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and an increase in total haemoglobin, but in the case of 0.25 g/kg the effect was highly significant. It also prevents decrease in body weight. Oral glucose tolerance test was also performed in experimental diabetic rats in which there was a significant improvement in glucose tolerance in animals treated with MSFEt and the effect was compared with glibenclamide. Thus the study shows that MSFEt has hypoglycaemic action.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / drug effects
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • Chloroform / chemistry
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Glucose Tolerance Test
  • Glyburide / pharmacology
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Hyperglycemia / drug therapy*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Solubility
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Hemoglobins
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Chloroform
  • Glyburide