Hypoglycemic activity of <i>Berg-e-Arusa</i> and <i>Shoneez</i>

Abstract

Diabetic problem has become more common in last few decades due to pressure of growing population, ecological disturbances and fast changing life styles. Presently, two main groups of substances are recognized as oral hypoglycemic agents but they are not risk free. In <i>Tibb-e-Unani</i>, many medicinal plants and mineral origin drugs have been mentioned to control diabetes but scientific validation of their antidiabetic properties is the need of the day. Therefore, in the study, the combination of two Unani drugs, i.e. <i>Arusa</i> (leaves of <i>Adhatoda</i> <i>vasica</i> Nees.) and <i>Shoneez</i> (seeds of <i>Nigella sativa</i> Linn.) was selected for the assessment of<b> </b>hypoglycemic activity. The hypoglycemic effect of the individual drug was studied and found to be effective (p<0.05) in the same model. Therefore, the study was designed to find out any synergistic effect of the combination of two drugs. The test combination was studied both in acute and one week models in healthy adult albino rabbits of either sex. Diabetes was observed in the rabbits (fasting blood glucose level ranged from 200-250 mg/100 ml) within 24 hrs after injection of alloxan and divided into 4 groups i.e. diabetic control (distilled water), diabetic standard (glibenclamide), diabetic test A (<i>Arusa</i> & <i>Shoneez</i>) and diabetic test B (<i>Arusa</i> & <i>Shoneez</i>) . Each group consisted of 5 rabbits. Blood samples were obtained from the marginal ear veins at 0 hr (initial) and 2 hrs, 3 hrs and 6 hrs after drug administration. Blood glucose was estimated by the end point O- toluidine. The study revealed that the aqueous extract of test combination given orally reduced the blood glucose level in alloxan induced diabetic rabbits. The significant reduction (p<0.05) in blood glucose level started after 3 hrs which continued for 6 hrs in both the groups.