ABSTRACT

Background: Chronic non-communicable disease diabetes mellitus is associated with metabolic disorder. It causes weight loss and hyperglycemia Allopathic drugs treat this disease but their unwanted side effects has led this research towards natural herbal products. Syzygium aromaticum extract has shown good response in medical diseases.

Aims & Objectives: To study the effect of increasing doses of Syzygium aromaticum ethanolic extract on blood glucose and body weight of rats made diabetic by streptozocin and compare it with the effects produced by Insulin.

Place and duration of study: National Institute of Health Sciences Islamabad for six months.

Material & Methods: We selected 48 adult rats belonging to Sprague dawley specie with average weight between 200-250g. There were six groups of rats, in each group there were eight rats. Group-I was control group. A single injection of streptozotocin was given by intraperitoneal route to all rats belonging to other five groups. Rats of group II were taken as diabetic control. Syzygium aromaticum ethanolic extract 50% solution with increasing doses was given to third group (250mg /kg), fourth group (500mg/kg) and fifth group (750mg/kg) for two months. Group sixth was given 0.6 units /kg body weight (humulin insulin 70/30) by subcutaneous route twice a day for two months. The weight and fasting blood glucose of all the animals were checked after 48 hours of receiving STZ and after sixty days of study. Decreased serum glucose and weight improvement was recorded.

Results: Fifth group receiving maximum dose of 750 mg/kg body weight of 50% ethanolic extract had a higher increase in the body weight and greater decrease in serum glucose level than third and fourth groups taking less amount of ethanolic extract and the sixth group receiving insulin.

Conclusion: 50% ethanolic extract of Syzygium aromaticum at high dose of 750mg/kg body weight lowers blood glucose and improves the weight of diabetic rats more than insulin and lower doses of extract