A Polyherbal extract treats Streptozotocin induced Diabetes mellitus: Pharmacognostic study, HPLC analysis and in vivo antidiabetic activity

The plants used in study have been used traditionally for various purposes skin problems, diabetes, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective activities, anthelmintic, antipyretic, antidysentric, antihyperlipidemic, anticancer properties. The present study involves the evaluation of pharmacognostic parameters of the four herbal drugs (Azadirachta indica leaves, Pterocarpus marsupium heartwood, Picrorhiza kurroa rhizomes, and Withania coagulans berries and fruit coat), High performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC) as well as antidiabetic activity of polyherbal extract. The qualitative as well as quantitative analysis was done. The drug was given to Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats in doses 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight for 21 days. In HPLC analysis it was found that major component in all the extracts was beta carotene along with hesperidin, tannic acid, catechin, ferulic acid, caffeic acid along with other polyphenolic components responsible for the antioxidant activity as well as antidiabetic activity of polyherbal extract. Rats were found to show an increase in body weight, improved blood sugar levels and hemoglobin. The liver glycogen, total proteins, serum lipid profile were restored back to normal range after using the polyherbal extract in diabetic rats. The histopathological study also shows an improvement in diabetic rats at cellular level. The results were found to be dose dependent.