Antihyperglycemic activity of the ethanolic extract of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn

The investigation was carried out to study effects of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn rhizome on blood glucose level. The antihyperglycemic efficacy of ethanolic extract of the rhizome was evaluated in normal, glucose loaded and alloxan induced diabetic rats. The extract exhibited significant hypoglycemic activity in all the three animal models when compared with the control group .The activity was also comparable to that of the effect produced by a standard antidiabetic agent Glimeperide, 500 µg/kg (p.o). The results also indicated dose dependent effect. The hypoglycaemia and antihyperglycaemia produced by the extract may be due to increased uptake of glucose at tissue level or increase in pancreatic β-cell function or due to inhibition of intestinal absorption of glucose. The study indicated that ethanolic extract is a potential antidiabetic agent and lends scientific support for its use in folk medicine.