Effect of aqueous leaves extract of ocimum gratissimum (sweet basil) on alloxan induced diabetic rats.

Ocimum gratissimumu leaves have been claimed and used as an anti-diabetic agent by traditional healers/folk medicine practitioners. This has led to the study of anti-diabetic activity of aqueous leaves extract of this plant using a model of alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. The biochemical parameters studied are plasma glucose, serum triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Extracts were orally administered daily for 7 days at doses of 50mg/kg, 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg, 48hours after alloxan injection (100mg/kg). The alloxan-diabetic rats showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction in plasma glucose from 10.0 ± 1.36 mmol/L in the diabetic group to 1.8 ± 0.06mmol/L in the group administered 100mg/Kg. Levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL were not significantly altered (P>0.05). In conclusion, these results showed that Ocimum gratissimum leaves extract when administered orally, can reduce plasma glucose level. These results further suggest the validity of the clinical use of Ocimum gratissimum in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.