Phytother Res. 2002 Nov; 16(7): 662-4.

Hypoglycaemic activity of Scopariadulcis L. extract in alloxan induced hyperglycaemic rats.

Pari L, Venkateswaran S.

Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India. paribala@sancharnet.in

Scoparia dulcis L. commonly known as 'Sweet Broomweed' is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Oral administration of 0.15, 0.30 and 0.45 g/kg body weight of the aqueous extract of the Scoparia dulcis leaves (SLEt) for 45 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and an increase in total haemoglobin but in the case of 0.45 g/kg body weight the effect was highly significant. The aqueous extract also prevented a decrease in the body weight. An oral glucose tolerance test was also performed in experimental diabetic rats, in which there was a significant improvement in glucose tolerance in animals treated with SLEt and the effect was comparable to that of glibenclamide.Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.