Hypoglycemic Activity of Aqueous Extract of Eucalyptus globulus in Normal and Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

ABSTRACT

Single and repeated oral administration of the aqueous extract of Eucalyptus globulus leaves at the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight exhibited a significant, dose-dependent hypoglycemic effect in streptozotocin diabetic rats. In rats with a normal functioning pancreas, however, no significant changes in blood glucose levels were observed after a single or repeated oral administration of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract. In diabetic rats, the repeated oral administration of Eucalyptus globulus aqueous leaf extract significantly increased the basal plasma insulin concentrations (P < 0.05). The oral acute toxicity study in mice demonstrated that the LD₅₀ value for the Eucalyptus globulus leaf tissue was 4.5 g/kg. The results support the validity of empirical uses of EG in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

KEYWORDS:

• Diabetes
• medicinal plant
• pharmacological effect
• traditional medicine