Evaluation of the hypoglycemic activity of a herbal mixture of psidium guajava and bidens pilosa extracts in alloxan induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent and at the same time the most important metabolic disorder. According to WHO, the global prevalence of diabetes mellitus was said to be about 5 % in 2011. Currently available treatment options in modern medicine are expensive and have several adverse effects. Therefore, there is a need to develop cheaper and effective treatment modalities for diabetes. Various plants including Bidens Pilosa and Psidium guajava have traditionally been associated with having significant anti-diabetic property and have undergone several preclinical and clinical evaluations. A combinational therapy of these two plants with the purpose of providing better glycemic control has however not yet been studied. Objective This study aimed at evaluating the hypoglycemic properties of a polyherbal mixture of extracts of two locally common plants with known hypoglycemic effect i.e Bidens pilosa and Psidium guajava. Methods Dry leaf powders of Psidium guajava and Bidens pilosa were extracted using ethanol and water respectively. A combined extract at a dosing level of 500mg/Kg was used to treat alloxan induced diabetic wistar rats and compared against conventional antidaibetic medicines namely; metformin and glibenclamide. The mean blood glucose levels were calculated and expressed as Mean ± SE .Results obtained for mean blood glucose levels were analysed using ANOVA and compared by DMRT with the help of SPSS 15.0 software Results The polyherbal mixture significantly reduced blood glucose levels (p <0.05) from 354.6 mg/dl to 178mg/dl and this was found to be comparable to Metformin 423 mg/dl to 168.8 mg/dl. Conclusion This study has established that a combined herbal extract of Psidium guajava and Bidens pilosa leaves can lower blood glucose levels in a manner that is comparable to conventional treatment to below 200mg/dl. This study recommends that the polyherbal mixture should be studied further for mode of action and more comprehensive toxicological studies with a view to developing it further to a herbal formulation in management of type II diabetes mellitus. Conservation and commercial cultivation of these plants should also be advocated for.