Extracts of Neptunia prostrata Linn. ameliorates progression of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia in animal models

Background: The herb Neptunia prostrata Linn. belonging to the family Mimosaceae has been used in folkloric medicine in the North-eastern states of India of Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya by indigenous herbal healers since time immemorial but there is a scarcity of any background study documenting its use as an antimicrobial herb. For the same, plants were collected and authenticated. Methods: Following identification of these herbs methanolic, ethanolic, pet ether and chloroform extracts were prepared using soxhlation. Acute toxicity study as per OECD guidelines 420 was assessed in wistar albino rats and in swiss albino mice (n=5) of both sexes at doses of 2000 mg/kg body weight and did not reveal any morbidity or mortality in the animals within the stipulated period. Phytochemical screening was performed on all four extracts of Neptunia prostrata. Results: Phytochemical constituents depicted presence of glycoside, flavonoids in only ethanolic, methanolic and chloroform extracts. Alkaloids were present in the chloroform extract. The antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activity was performed by HFD-STZ models in rats. The herbs showed antioxidant activity comparable to standard antioxidants in-vitro such as Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) with comparable IC50 values. Conclusions: Results of the antidiabetic shows immense potential in animal models and therapeutics and the antibacterial screening suggests conspicuous and potent putative role in the therapeutics of a vast plethora bacterial infections that need to be corroborated for the expansion of future prospective in vivo studies with larger sample size.