Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of different fractions of Coccinia cordifolia L. on normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The present study was carried out to observe the antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of petroleum-ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions isolated from ethanolic extract of the leaves of Coccinia cordifolia Linn. (150 mg/kg body weight) on normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for one day experiment. Single doses (150 mg/kg, i.p.) of C. cordifolia extracts were given to normal and diabetic rats. The fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum triglyceride (TG) and serum total cholesterol (TC) levels were investigated in normal and STZ-diabetic rats on 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 16, and 24th hours. In normoglycemic rats the pet-ether and ethyl acetate fractions of C. cordifolia reduced blood glucose level significantly (39.66% and 40.68% at 16th and 24th hour respectively). In the STZ-diabetic rats pet-ether and ethyl acetate fractions also reduced blood glucose level significantly (50.39% and 50% at 10th and 24th hour respectively). Ethyl acetate fraction is most effective which reduced total cholesterol level by 31.04% and 36.69% in normal and STZ-diabetic rats respectively. Ethyl acetate fraction reduced triglyceride level by 43.82% and 42.01% in normal and STZ-diabetic rats respectively. Our results indicate that pet-ether and ethyl acetate fractions of C. cordifolia have potentiality against diabetes.