EFFECT OF ARECA CATECHU L. LEAF EXTRACT ON TYPE II DIABETES IN RATS
Areca catechu is the areca palm or areca nut palm, a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. This palm is often erroneously called the Betel tree because its fruit, the areca nut, is always chewed along with the betel leaf; a leaf from a vine of the Piperaceae family (Piper Betel).The present study was done to evaluate the ethanolic extract of Areca catechu leaves for antidiabetic activity in Sprague dawley rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced in rats by High fat diet, high fat emulsion and intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (STZ, 35mg/kg body weight).Oral glucose tolerance test was performed and diabetic animals were separated. Hyperglycemic rats were treated with Ethanolic extract of dose 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg p.o. The treatment was given for 15 days and at an interval of 5 days the blood glucose level was measured. The extract showed significant antidiabetic activity at 100 and 200mg/kg. It was found that the extract shows significant effects on blood glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and antioxidant parameters. Hence more work on the same drug will contribute to know the exact mechanism of action of the drug and can be included in the treatments against diabetes in few years.