Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Hypoglycemic Effects of Clitoria ternatea Linn. (Fabaceae) in Alloxan-induced Diabetes in Rats

P Daisy¹, M Rajathi²

¹Department of Biotechnology, Holy Cross College, Tiruchirappalli-620002, Tamilnadu; ²Department of Biotechnology, MVJ College of Engineering, Near ITPL, Channasandra, Bangalore-560067. Karnataka, India.

For correspondence:- M Rajathi Email: santhanamaryrajathi@yahoo.co.in Tel:+9108028452324

Received: 24 February 2009 Accepted: 17 May 2009 Published: 23 October 2009

Citation: Daisy P, Rajathi M. Hypoglycemic Effects of Clitoria ternatea Linn. (Fabaceae) in Alloxan-induced Diabetes in Rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2009; 8(5):393-398 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v8i5.3

© 2009 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of the aqueous extract of Clitoria ternatea Linn. Fabaceae leaves and flowers on alloxan-induced diabetes in rats.

Methods: The effect of orally administered aqueous extracts (400 mg/kg body weight) of Clitoria ternatea leaves and flowers on serum glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and insulin were examined in control and extract-treated diabetic rats. The glycogen content of the liver and skeletal muscles of the rats was evaluated while the activities of the glycolytic enzyme, glucokinase, and the gluconeogenic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver were assessed. The extracts were administered over a period of 84 days.

Results: The aqueous extracts of Clitoria ternatea leaves and flowers significantly (P<0.05) reduced serum glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and the activities of gluconeogenic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase, but increased serum insulin, liver and skeletal muscle glycogen and the activity of the glycolytic enzyme, glucokinase. For all the biochemical tests performed, the leaf extract-treated rat showed essentially the same profile as those treated with the flower extract.

Conclusion: The present investigation suggests that Clitoria ternatea leaf and flower extracts exhibit antihyperglycaemic effect in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: : Alloxan, Diabetes mellitus, Clitoria ternatea, Blood glucose, Glucose-6-phosphatase, Glucokinase, Glycogen