Abstract

BIOACTIVITY OF AVICENNIA MARINA AND RHIZOPHORA MUCRONATA FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS

M. Babuselvam*, S. Abideen, T. Gunasekaran, J. Margaret Beula and M. Dhinakarraj

Abstract

A study of ancient literature indicates that diabetes was fairly well known and well conceived as an entity in India. Plant based drugs have been used against various diseases since a long time. In fact, nowadays, diabetes is a global problem. Hence, the present study aims to open new avenues for the improvement of medicinal uses of Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata for the selected area for diabetes. The effects of daily oral administration of methanolic extracts from the leaves of chosen mangrove plants (250 and 500 mg/kg) for 15 days on blood glucose, haemoglobin (Hb), total protein, serum urea, serum insulin, serum phosphorous, albumin and globulin were evaluated in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats. The effects of these extracts were compared with the effect of 15 days treatment with 0.1 mg/kg, p.o. glibenclamide, a commercially available drug commonly used in the treatment of diabetes. Oral administration of 500 mg/kg extract of Rhizophora mucronata modulated all the parameters evaluated to levels seen in control rats. The effects of 500 mg of Rhizophora mucronata extract were comparable to those of glibenclamide. The extracts of Rhizophora mucronata exhibited promising antidiabetic activity and could be considered for further evaluation in clinical studies and drug development.

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