Effect ofAegle marmelosFruits on Normal and Streptozotocin-Diabetic Wistar Rats

Abstract

The present study evaluates the antidiabetic effect of an aqueous extract of Aegle marmelos fruits (AMFEt) in diabetes. Female albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: Normal (untreated), Normal + AMFEt, streptozotocin (STZ)-treated, STZ-treated + AMFEt, and STZ-treated + glibenclamide. Rats were rendered diabetic by STZ (45 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally. AMFEt (250 mg/kg) was given twice daily for 1 month. Blood glucose, plasma insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, liver glycogen, and change in body weight were determined. Food intake and water intake were monitored daily. An oral glucose tolerance test was also performed to determine the effect of this extract. The results show that glucose level and glycosylated hemoglobin were increased and plasma insulin and liver glycogen were decreased in diabetic rats, and that treatment with AMFEt reversed the effects of diabetes on these biochemical parameters to near-normal levels.