Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University (2014) 52, 211217

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Cairo University

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Hypoglycemic potential of alcoholic root extract

of Cassia occidentalis Linn. in streptozotocin
induced diabetes in albino mice
Surbhi Sharma a, Manjusha Choudhary
Avatar Chand Rana a
a
b

a,*

, Sapna Bhardwaj a, Nitesh Choudhary b,

Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 136119, Haryana, India

R.P. Educational Trust Group of Institutions, Bastara, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India

Received 22 July 2014; accepted 20 September 2014

Available online 14 October 2014

KEYWORDS
Diabetes;
Hypoglycemic agent;
Cassia occidentalis;
Streptozotocin

Abstract Objective: Cassia occidentalis (CO) (family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a common weed which is
widely used to treat inammation, hepatotoxicity, antimalarial activities, sore eyes, hematuria,
rheumatism, typhoid, asthma, leprosy and diabetes in folklore medicine in India. The present study
was carried out to investigate the antidiabetic activity of ethanolic extract of C. occidentalis roots.
Methods: Root extract of C. occidentalis (RCO) was administered orally at two doses (250 and
500 mg/kg) to normal and streptozotocin (STZ) induced NIDDM. Fasting blood glucose (FBG)
level, biochemical parameters like blood glucose, serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein
(HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), total protein, urea, creatinine, serum glutamate oxaloacetate
transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) levels and physical parameters like change in body weight, food intake, water intake and levels in liver were performed for the
evaluation of hypoglycemic effects.
Results: Both the doses of RCO caused a marked decrease in FBG levels in STZ induced type 2
diabetic mice. RCO decreased the blood glucose, food intake, water intake, organ weight, serum
cholesterol, TG, creatinine, SGOT and SGPT levels with signicant value and increased the levels
of HDL cholesterol and total protein with a signicant value (P < 0.050.01). The decrease in body
weight induced by STZ was restored with a signicant value (P < 0.01) at both doses.
Conclusion: The results suggest that ethanolic roots extract of C. occidentalis Linn. possesses hypoglycemic potential for the NIDDM and support the traditional use of the roots of plant as hypoglycemic agent.
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1. Introduction
* Corresponding author.
Peer review under responsibility of Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo
University.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complicated, chronic metabolic

disorder characterized by either deciency of insulin

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bfopcu.2014.09.003
1110-0931 2014 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University.
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

212
production due to destructive lesions of pancreatic b-cells or
by cellular resistance to insulin.1 Among the diabetics, about
10% have IDDM (insulin decient), while 90% have NIDDM
(insulin resistant).2 NIDDM begins with a period of insulin
resistance with augmented pancreatic insulin secretion. As
the disease progresses, pancreas loses its function and thus
no longer able to meet peripheral demands. As a result, insulin
fails to full the body requirements.3 DM has caused signicant morbidity and mortality due to microvascular (retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy) and macrovascular (heart
attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease) complications.4
The number of people suffering from the disease worldwide is
estimated to be over 173 million and this gure is likely to be
increased to 300 million or more by the year 2025.5 Diabetes is
increasing at an alarming rate with a projected 366 million
people likely to be diabetic by the year 2030 as against 191 million estimated in 2000.6 Approximately 300,000 deaths each
year are attributed to diabetes. Its prevalence increases with
age, from about 0.2% in persons less than 17 years of age to
about 10% in persons aged 65 years.7 Therapeutic options
for diabetes are diet, exercise, oral hypoglycemic drugs and
insulin therapy.8 These drugs have been used as monotherapy
or in different combinations so as to control diabetic condition. Considerable progress has been done in the treatment
of diabetes by oral hypoglycemic agents, but search for newer
drugs continues because of the various limitations of the synthetic drugs. Recently it has been identied by Indian Council
of Medical Research (ICMR) that diabetes mellitus is one of
the refractory diseases for which satisfactory treatment is not
available in modern allopathic system of medicine and hence
suitable herbal preparations are to be investigated which
should be therapeutically effective in controlling diabetes.9
Herbal drugs enjoy the advantages of comparatively less toxic
than synthetic drugs, more harmony with the biological system
and affordable to all classes of people.10 Herbal preparations
are the oldest and widely useful remedies known to mankind.
India has one of the oldest, richest and most diverse cultures
associated with the use of herbal medicines widely termed as
ayurveda.11 A large number of plant preparations have been
reported to possess antidiabetic activity over last several decades. Researchers in India have documented the use of over
150 plants in various families with antidiabetic activity.9
Cassia occidentalis (family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a common
weed scattered from the foothills of Himalayas to West Bengal,
South India, Burma, and Sri Lanka. The plant is a diffuse
(usually annual) under shrub with loosely spreading branches
60150 cm long, found throughout India, up to an altitude of
1500 m.12 C. occidentalis Linn. is an annual or perennial
ayurvedic plant widely used in several traditional medicines
to cure various diseases. This weed has been known to possess
antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, anti-inammatory, antimutagenic and hepatoprotective activity. A wide range of
chemical compounds including achrosin, aloe-emodin, emodin,
anthraquinones, anthrones, apigenin, aurantiobtusin, campesterol, cassiollin, chryso-obtusin, chrysophanic acid, chrysarobin, chrysophanol and chrysoeriol have been isolated from
this plant.13 No study was conducted scientically to prove
the antidiabetic activity of roots of C. occidentalis. Hence the
present study was conducted to prove the antidiabetic activity
of C. occidentalis roots.

S. Sharma et al.
2. Materials and methods
All the experimental procedures and protocols used in the
study were reviewed by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) (Register Number: 536/02/a/CPCSEA) and
were in accordance with the Committee for the purpose of
Control and Supervision on Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) guidelines, Government of India.
2.1. Animals
Healthy Swiss albino mice (2530 g) of either sex of Wistar
strain were obtained from a disease free animal house of Chaudhary Charan Singh, Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar,
Haryana (India). They were housed in the animal house, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University,
Kurukshetra, Haryana (India). Animals were kept in standard
polypropylene cages and maintained under controlled standard conditions of temperature (25 5 C), relative humidity
(55 5%), with 12/12 h light/dark cycle. They were fed with
commercially available mice feed.
2.2. Drugs and chemicals
Streptozotocin was obtained from Himedia, and Metformin
(MT) is a gift sample from Gnosis Pharma, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh; HDL-cholesterol, TG, cholesterol, creatinine,
urea, total protein, SGOT and SGPT estimation kits were
obtained from ERBA Diagnostics Mannheim GmbH,
Mallaustr, Germany. All other chemicals used were of AR
grade.
2.3. Plant material
The roots of CO were collected from the banks of river Yamuna and surrounding local areas of Yamunanagar district during SeptOct, 2009. Then, collected roots were identied by
Dr. B.D. Vashisht, (Head) Botany Department, Kurukshetra
University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India.
2.4. Extraction method
Roots were washed and cleaned thoroughly so as to remove
any contamination. Then the washed plant parts were air
dried in shade, powdered and passed through a sieve of mesh
size no. 40. Thus the obtained coarse powder was subjected
to Soxhlet extraction for 48 h using alcohol in the ratio of
70:30. The extract was distilled and last traces of solvent were
removed by rotary evaporator under reduced pressure. Percentage yield of root extract was 10.2%. The extract obtained
was preserved in air tight glass container at 48 C for future
studies.
2.5. Preliminary phytochemical study
Chemical tests were carried out on RCO extract for the qualitative determination of phytochemical constituents as
described by Khandelwal.14

Hypoglycemic potential of alcoholic root extract of Cassia occidentalis Linn

2.6. Drug solution
Extract was dissolved in tween 80 suspensions (0.5%, p.o.).
2.7. Acute toxicity study
Overnight fasted mice of either sex were divided into ve
groups of six mice in each group. The test extracts at
increasing doses (1252000 mg/kg, b.w.) were administered
orally and toxicity was evaluated as per the Guidelines for
non-clinical toxicity investigation of Herbal Medicine
(Annexure-1) given by the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, Government of India.15 The animals were continuously observed for 2 h for behavioral, neurological or autonomic toxic effects and for any lethality or death after 24
and 72 h.
2.8. Oral glucose tolerance study
The effect of RCO extract was evaluated on glucose loaded
animals. The blood glucose levels were monitored at various
time intervals after single oral administration of extract.16
2.8.1. Experimental procedure
Overnight fasted mice were randomly divided into four groups,
each group containing six animals. Glucose (2 g/kg, p.o.) was
administered to each group.

213

The effects of extract were studied in all the groups, for

21 days. Blood glucose levels were determined after two hours
of various treatments, by withdrawing blood samples from the
tail vein from overnight fasted animals on 0th, 7th, 14th and
21st by using elegance glucometer, using glucose strips.
2.9.3. Physical parameters
The changes in body weight, food and water intake were monitored on the 0th, 7th, 14th, and 21st day of treatment.
2.9.4. Collection of organs
Liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, lungs, and spleen were isolated
from animals and were weighed.
2.9.5. Biochemical parameters
Blood glucose, serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, TG, total
protein, urea, creatinine, SGOT and SGPT were estimated by
using various kit methods.
2.10. Statistical analysis
Data obtained from pharmacological experiments, are
expressed as mean SEM. Differences between control and
treated groups were tested for signicance using ANOVA followed by Dunnetts t-test, with P < 0.05 were considered as
signicant.
3. Results

 Group I: Vehicle control, tween 80 suspension (0.5%, p.o.).

 Groups IIIII: RCO extract (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.).
 Group IV: MT (0.5 mg/kg, p.o.).
After overnight fasting blood samples were collected from
tail vein at 0, 30, 60, 120 min after administration of the treatments. Blood glucose levels were determined by one touch electronic glucometer, using glucose strips.
2.9. Streptozotocin induced diabetic study
2.9.1. Induction of diabetes
150 mg/kg STZ (prepared using fresh cold citrate buffer pH
4.5) was injected in overnight fasted mice. Free access to 5%
glucose solution, food and water was provided to counter
the hypoglycemic shock. Determination of FBG level was
done after 72 h and on 7th day of injection to conrm stable
hyperglycemia. Mice showing FBG levels more than 150 mg/
dl were selected for the antidiabetic study.17
2.9.2. Experimental procedure
Overnight fasted diabetic mice were divided into ve groups of
six mice each. Water was given ad libitum. Treatment was provided in the following manner:
 Group I: Vehicle control, tween 80 suspension (0.5% v/v,
p.o.).
 Group II: Diabetic control, tween 80 suspension (0.5% v/v,
p.o.).
 Groups IIIIV: RCO extract (250 and 500 mg/kg, p.o.).
 Group V: MT (0.5 mg/kg, p.o.).

3.1. Preliminary phytoconstituents

Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of
avonoids, glycosides, phytosterols, tannins and triterpenoids.
3.2. Acute toxicity study
Extract treated mice showed no lethality or any discernible
behavioral changes up to 2000 mg/kg by oral route. No mortality was observed at this dose during 24 h observation
period.
3.3. Oral glucose tolerance test
The effects of RCO extract were evaluated on the glucose
loaded normal mice. The blood glucose levels were monitored
at various time intervals after single administration of extract
(Table 1). Decrease in blood glucose levels was observed during the rst 60 min in MT and RCO at 250 mg/kg, then starts
increasing at 120 min but then blood glucose levels were
reduced constantly up to 270 min. These changes in blood glucose levels were signicant (**P < 0.01), (*P < 0.05) when
compared with vehicle control group. Decrease in glucose level
was observed at both (250 and 500 mg/kg) the doses.
3.4. Streptozotocin induced diabetes in mice
The hypoglycemic effect of the extract on the FBG of diabetic
mice is shown in Table 2. Administration of STZ (150 mg/kg,
i.p.) led to increase in fasting hyperglycemia, which was

214
Table 1

S. Sharma et al.
Effect of RCO extract on the blood sugar level of glucose loaded mice.

Groups

n 0 min (mg/dl) 30 min (mg/dl) 60 min (glucose loading) 120 min (mg/dl) 150 min (mg/dl) 270 min (mg/dl)
(mg/dl)

Vehicle control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w.)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

6
85 1.50
6
89 0.70
6 86.83 0.80
6 84.83 1.60

83.33 1.50
87 0.90
85.83 0.60
79.5 1.20

82.4 1.40
84.5 1.10
88 1.10**
74.83 1.50**

145 1.60
141.5 1.50
138.33 1.40**
131.5 1.10**

140.83 1.10
132.16 2.60*
122.66 1.80**
103 2.20**

121.16 2.90
111 3.30**
100.5 0.90**
90.5 1.90**

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: 0.5% v/v, tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
*
P < 0.05.
**
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

Table 2

Effect of RCO extracts on the blood glucose level of STZ-induced DM in mice.

Groups

0th day (g)

7th day (g)

14th day (g)

21st day (g)

Vehicle control
Diabetic control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w.)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

6
6
6
6
6

76.16 4.80
185.16 9.60^^
179.5 3.90
178.16 10.00
188.83 19.20

80 2.60
187.33 7.50^^
156.5 4.40
158.16 10.20
151 16.50

79.33 3.10
188..83 8.70^^
137 4.60**
128.16 11.10**
126 13.80**

80.66 4.00
191.83 8.90^^
114 1.60**
102.83 5.90**
97.33 5.00**

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: 0.5% v/v, tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
**
P < 0.01 vs diabetic control.
^^
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

maintained over a period of 21 days. RCO extracts at both the

doses showed signicant (**P < 0.01) decrease in FBG levels
but effect at 500 mg/kg was superior.
3.5. Physical parameters
Table 3 shows the effect of RCO and MT on body weight of
STZ-induced diabetic mice. Diabetic control mice showed
decrease in body weight during the study. Administration of
RCO extracts reversed the reduction in body weight. The
result obtained was signicant (**P < 0.01) at both doses
(250 and 500 mg/kg) but more signicant at 500 mg/kg.
Polyphagia and polydipsia in diabetic animals lead to
increase in food and water intake which is induced due to
uptake of STZ (Table 4). Animals treated with doses
(250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) of RCO extracts, showed signicant (P < 0.01) decrease in food and water intake after
21 days of treatment.

Table 3

3.6. Organ weight

As shown in Table 5, STZ-induced diabetes increased the
weight of liver, kidney and pancreas. The increase in weights
of these organs was reversed by administration of RCO extract
and MT. The increase in weights is signicant (**P < 0.01),
(*P < 0.05) at both the doses but superior results were
obtained at 500 mg/kg of RCO extract and MT.
3.7. Biochemical parameters
Serum cholesterol, TG and creatinine levels were increased
with STZ induced diabetes. 250 and 500 mg/kg of RCO extract
induced signicant (*P < 0.05) and (**P < 0.01) decrease in
the level of serum creatinine whereas serum cholesterol and
TG were decreased signicantly only at dose 500 mg/kg
(Table 6). HDL cholesterol and total protein were decreased
in diabetic mice. There was a signicant (**P < 0.01),

Effect of RCO extracts on the body weight of STZ-induced DM in mice.

Group

0th day (g)

7th day (g)

14th day (g)

21st day (g)

Vehicle control
Diabetic control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w.)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

6
6
6
6
6

28.81 0.10
25.23 0.30
24.97 0.20
25.45 0.40
25.96 0.30

29.24 0.09
24.84 0.30^^
25.62 0.30
26.25 0.30**
27.00 0.30**

29.49 0.10
24.56 0.30^^
26.19 0.20**
26.29 0.20**
27.85 0.40**

29.69 0.09
24.12 0.30^^
26.50 0.20**
27.63 0.20**
28.10 0.20**

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: 0.5% v/v, tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
**
P < 0.01 vs diabetic control.
^^
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

7.44 0.20
17.55 0.50^^
15.72 0.20**
14.52 0.40**
13.79 0.10**
33.66 0.60
47.33 1.50^^
40.83 0.40**
37.5 0.60**
33 0.50**

4. Discussion

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: 0.5% v/v, tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
**
P < 0.01 vs diabetic control.
^^
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

33.16 0.70
44.16 1.50^^
42.66 0.70
38.33 0.60**
35.33 0.50**
6.41 0.20
16.82 0.60^^
16.33 0.20
15.21 0.40**
14.87 0.20**
32.83 0.40
45.83 1.00^^
45.16 1.10
43 0.50
39.83 0.60**
6.13 0.30
16.48 0.60^^
16.55 0.20
15.58 0.30
15.97 0.20
31.5 1.20
43.0 0.80^^
44.0 0.90
45.16 0.60
45.5 0.60
6
6
6
6
6
Vehicle control
Diabetic control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

215

(*P < 0.05) increase in total protein only at both the doses
where as in HDL cholesterol no signicant increase was
observed.
Diabetic control mice have signicantly increased levels of
SGOT and SGPT levels (Table 7). Administration of RCO
extracts for 21 days induced signicant (**P < 0.01) decrease
in SGOT and SGPT levels when compared to diabetic control
mice.

6.86 0.20
17.16 0.60^^
16.08 0.20
14.86 0.40**
14.34 0.10**

Food intake (g)

21st day
14th day

Food intake (g)

7th day

Water intake (ml)

Water intake (ml)

Food intake (g)

0th day
n
Groups

Effect of RCO extracts on the food and water intake of STZ-induced DM in mice.
Table 4

Water intake (ml)

Food intake (g)

Water intake (ml)

Hypoglycemic potential of alcoholic root extract of Cassia occidentalis Linn

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases

associated with carbohydrate metabolism. It is also an indication of co-morbidities such as obesity, hypertension, and
hyperlipidemia which are metabolic complications of both
clinical and experimental diabetes.6 In the present study the
hypoglycemic activity of root extract of C. occidentalis was
evaluated in Streptozotocin induced diabetic mice. STZ selectively destroys pancreatic insulin secreting b cells by causing
diabetes close to type 2 diabetes in mice.11 The continuous
treatment of root extract for a period of 21 days has shown signicant results in STZ induced mice. The number of functionally intact b cells in the islet organ is of decisive importance for
the development course and outcome of DM. The renewal of
b-cells in diabetes has been studied in several animal models.
The total b-cell mass reects the balance between the renewal
and loss of these cells.18 RCO extracts showed hypoglycemic
activity by acting through one of the following mechanisms.
Like some hypothesis relates to the effects of plant extracts
on the activity of pancreatic beta cells, increase in the inhibitory effect against insulinase enzyme, increase of the insulin
sensitivity or the insulin like activity of the plant extracts.
Other mechanisms may also be involved such as increase of
peripheral utilization of glucose, increase of synthesis of hepatic glycogen or decrease of glycogenolysis, inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption, reduction of glycaemic index of
carbohydrates and reduction of effect of glutathione.4
Total % reduction in glucose level was observed in normal
mice when compared to the vehicle control group. The
decrease in blood glucose level may be due to potentiation of
insulin effect either by increase in pancreatic secretion of insulin from beta cells of islets of Langerhans or by increase in
peripheral glucose uptake.19 RCO extract treated animals have
been shown to increase body weight as compared to diabetic
control. Induction of diabetes by STZ leads to loss of body
weight due to increased muscle wasting and loss of tissue proteins.20 The decrease in body weight in diabetes was due to the
increased muscle wasting and loss of tissue proteins.21 The
extract treated animals recovered the body weight signicantly
toward normal level which may be due to the lipid lowering
activity of the extract or indirectly to the inuence on various
lipid regulation systems. The observed hypolipidemic effect
may be due to inhibition of fatty acid synthesis and decreased
cholesterogenesis.22 MT is a biguanide which exerts its effects
on glucose transport via acting through insulin-mediated
enhanced peripheral glucose uptake.23
In both types of diabetes mellitus polyuria, polydipsia and
polyphagia symptoms develop. When the glucose concentration in the blood is raised beyond the renal threshold, reabsorption of glucose in the proximal renal tubule is
incomplete and part of the glucose remains in the urine

216
Table 5

S. Sharma et al.
Effect of RCO extracts on the organ weights of kidney, liver and pancreas of STZ induced DM in mice.

Groups

Kidney (g)

Liver (g)

Pancreas (g)

Vehicle control
Diabetic control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w.)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

6
6
6
6
6

0.53 0.00
0.94 0.01^^
0.79 0.01**
0.72 0.00**
0.59 0.00**

2.07 0.01
2.72 0.04^^
2.24 0.01**
2.19 0.00**
2.15 0.01**

0.05 0.00
0.18 0.00^^
0.16 0.00*
0.13 0.00**
0.09 0.00**

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: 0.5% v/v, tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
*
P < 0.05.
**
P < 0.01 vs diabetic control.
^^
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

Table 6

Effect of RCO extracts on the serum prole of STZ- induced DM in mice.

Groups

Serum cholesterol
(mg/dl)

Serum HDL cholesterol

(mg/dl)

Serum
triglycerides(mg/dl)

Serum creatinine
(mg/dl)

Serum total
protein (g/dl)

Vehicle control
Diabetic control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w.)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

6
6
6
6
6

64.33 2.90
78.31 3.90^^
69.12 1.90
66.90 2.30*
61.80 3.70**

35.27 1.80
31.82 1.40
36.09 2.20
38.20 1.50
38.74 1.90*

67.87 1.90
91.64 2.40^^
86.69 1.70
78.54 1.40*
91.64 6.50

0.59 0.01
1.76 0.01^^
0.96 0.01**
0.80 0.00**
0.71 0.00**

7.3 0.20
3.4 0.10^^
4.0 0.10*
4.4 0.10**
6.4 0.20**

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: 0.5% v/v, tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
*
P < 0.05 vs diabetic control.
**
P < 0.01.
^^
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

Table 7 Effect of RCO extracts on the SGOT and SGPT

levels of STZ-induced DM in mice.
Groups

SGOT level
(IU/L)

SGPT level
(IU/L)

Vehicle control
Diabetic control
RCO (250 mg/kg, b.w.)
RCO (500 mg/kg, b.w.)
MT (0.5 mg/kg, b.w.)

6
6
6
6
6

93.3 1.6
99.5 1.9
82 2.4**
75 0.7**
62 1.6**

58.7 4.5
122 8.5^^
89.5 2.0**
80.5 2.4**
69.5 3.2**

The values are mean SEM, n = number of animals used.

Vehicle control: (0.5% v/v); tween 80; RCO: Root extract of Cassia
occidentalis; MT: Metformin.
**
P < 0.01 vs diabetic control.
^^
P < 0.01 vs vehicle control (One way ANOVA followed by
Dunnetts, Multiple comparison test).

(glycosuria). This increases the osmotic pressure of the urine

and inhibits the reabsorption of water by the kidney, resulting
in increased urine production (polyuria) and increased uid
loss. Lost blood volume will be replaced osmotically by water
held in body cells, causing dehydration and increased thirst.
The hormone insulin is also responsible for stimulating hunger. In order to cope up with high sugar level in blood; body
produces insulin which leads to increased hunger. In the present study, RCO extract, showed a signicant (P < 0.01)
decrease in food and water intake after 21 days of treatment.24
STZ-induced diabetes increased the weight of liver, kidney,
pancreas in normal mice. An alteration in the internal organ
weights may primarily indicate toxicity or pathology occurring

to these organs.25 But treatment with RCO extracts has shown

signicant reduction in organ weight at both doses.
FBG levels have been reduced to a signicant value which
was earlier increased due to administration of STZ (150 mg/
kg, i.p.). The decrease in FBG levels may be due to increase
in the activity of enzymes responsible for utilization of glucose
by insulin dependent pathway or regenerate b-cells in pancreatic islets.8
A signicant reduction in serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, TG, serum total protein and creatinine was observed
in STZ induced diabetic mice, when compared to vehicle control and MT treated mice. On administration of RCO extract
to the diabetic mice serum prole levels were found to be
restored to normal. Signicant decrease in TG, HDL cholesterol, creatinine, cholesterol and total protein levels was
observed. Signicant reduction in SGOT and SGPT levels
was found in RCO extract treated animals. Results were significant (**P < 0.01) at both doses. The results of the study were
satisfactory and revealed that the RCO extracts have exhibited
hypoglycemic activity.
5. Conclusions
Ethanolic RCO extract exhibited signicant hypoglycemic
activities in STZ induced diabetic mice. The extract showed
improvement in various body and serum parameters as well
as regeneration of b cells of pancreas and so might be of value
in diabetes. However, further phytochemical investigations are
required to isolate and identify the hypoglycemic principles in
the plant as well as elucidating their mechanism of action.

Hypoglycemic potential of alcoholic root extract of Cassia occidentalis Linn

6. Conict of interest
We declare that we have no conict of interest.
Acknowledgement
The authors are thankful to Dr. O.P. Arora, ex Director,
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, KUK, for providing
essential facility for the research work.
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