Demonstration of antidiabetic effect of Asiatic Acid in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is one of most prominent disorder among others spreading at an alarming rate across the globe. The quest to obtain a potential active ingredient for antidiabetic activity is on. The present study was designed to examine the antidiabetic effect of asiatic acid (AA) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (40 mg/kg body weight). Diabetic rats show increased plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids, low density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein and decreased insulin and high-density lipoprotein in diabetic rats. The antidiabetic effect of AA was compared with glibenclamide, a well-known antihyperglycemic drug. In conclusion, this study indicates that AA showed antidiabetic effect in experimental diabetes.