EFFECT OF PITHECELLOBIUM DULCE BENTH LEAVES IN DEXAMETHASONE INDUCED DIABETIC RATS Short Communication MULE V. S. a *, NAIKWADE N. S. b , MAGDUM C. S. c , JAGTAP V. A. a a Yashwantrao Bhonsale College of Pharmacy, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra, India, b Appasaheb Birnale College of Pharmacy, Sangli, Maharashtra, India, c Received: 21 May 2016 Revised and Accepted: 22 Jul 2016 Rajarambapu College of Pharmacy, Kasegaon, Maharashtra, India Email: vsmule.tkcp@gmail.com ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of the present study was to study the effect of Pithecellobium dulce Benth (P. dulce) leaves in dexamethasone-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The authenticated P. dulce leaves were collected from a local area of Sangli, Maharashtra. The leaves of the plant were extracted with water and ethanol by maceration and soxhelation respectively. Acute toxicity studies of the both extracts were performed using rat and according to OECD 425 guidelines. The dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg was selected for further studies. The albino rats were divided into seven groups with five animals in each group. The diabetes was induced by dexamethasone (10 mg/kg, s. c.) and treated with extract and standard drug for 10 d. Then blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol and glycogen level in liver, muscle and kidney were estimated according to standard procedures. Results: The study revealed that P. dulce at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg showed significant (p ˂ 0.05) antidiabetic activity. All the extract treated groups showed a significant reduction in blood glucose level on 11 th Conclusion: It can be concluded that P. dulce aqueous and ethanolic extract at two different doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) possesses antidiabetic and hypolipidemic activity. day when compared to diabetic control group. The significant increase in blood glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol level was observed in the diabetic control group when compared to normal control group. The liver and muscle glycogen level was decreased significantly (p ˂ 0.05) in the diabetic control group. Keywords: Pithecellobium dulce Benth, Antidiabetic, Dexamethasone, Glucose, Lipid profile, Glycogen © 2016 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4. 0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2016v8i9.12988 Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia due to either insufficiency of insulin or inability of cells to respond to insulin [1]. Diabetes is the most serious and common metabolic disease all over the world and it is caused mainly due to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. The chronic complications of diabetes are microvascular damage, nephropathy, neuropathy and retinopathy which is mainly caused due to significantly increased the level of blood glucose level [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes and this number is likely to more than double by 2030 [3]. The highest prevalence, as well as the long-term complications associated with diabetes, stimulates the search for the new antidiabetic agent. In 1980 the WHO also suggested to study and find out the plants which are having potential hypoglycemic activity as the modern drugs have the less safety [4]. The present hypoglycemic drugs and insulin used for the treatment of diabetes is excessively costlier and having its own side effects which limits its use. Although many allopathic approaches are available for treatment of diabetes but none of these is ideal for treatment of diabetic patients. Insulin is associated with its stability when taken orally another hypoglycemic like sulphonyl urea and α glucosidase is associated with its own side effects [5]. Recently there is increasing trend for using plant preparations and its derivatives to treat diabetes and its complications [6]. Traditionally in ayurveda medicines consist of plant or plant product as a single plant or a combination of plants, which are considered less toxic and free from side effects when compared to synthetic drugs. P. dulce (Leguminosae) is native to tropical Asia, America and cultivated throughout the India. It is evergreen; medium-sized tree grows up to 18 m in height [7]. It is commonly known as ‘manila tamarind’ and Indian jalebi as it resembles the sour taste of tamarind and Indian sweet jalebi. The leaves of P. dulce Contains cyclitol, dulcitol, octacosanol, α-spinasterol, kaempferol-3- rhamnoside, quercetin and afzelin [8]. The literature survey suggests that the leaves of the plant used traditionally for leprosy, intestinal disorders, peptic ulcer, toothache, ear ache, emollient, abortifacient and larvicidal in folk medicines [9]. The leaves of the plant have reported to contain the insulin-like content which may be useful for the treatment of diabetes [10]. The leaves also reported to show antifungal and antibacterial activity [11]. Estrogenic activity was observed by isolated isoflavonoids from the root of the plant [12]. The leaves of the plant reported to have free radical scavenging properties and antimycobacterial activity [8, 9]. The Neuro- pharmacological activities of this plant were also demonstrated [13]. Taking into consideration the traditional claims and reported activities, P. dulce has been studied for its antidiabetic activity in diabetic animals. Hence the present study was planned to investigate the effect of P. dulce leaves on dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in the rat. The fresh leaves of P. dulce were collected from Jaisingpur, Sangli District, Maharashtra, India. The plant material was taxonomically authenticated by acknowledged Botanist, Dr. Mrs. U. S. Yadav at Willingdon College, Sangli, Maharashtra, India (Voucher specimen No.: WILL/Bot/2009/03). The standard drug pioglitazone was obtained from Aarti Drugs Ltd, Mumbai. The inducer dexamethasone was obtained from Cipla Pharma R and D, Vikroli. All the diagnostic kits used are of Span Diagnostics, Surat. The fresh leaves were separated and air dried under shade for seven days. The dried plant leaves were subjected to size reduction to a course by the dry grinder and passed through a sieve. The powder was subjected to aqueous and ethanolic extraction. The powder material was packed into soxhlet apparatus and extracted using ethyl alcohol as a solvent. This extract was oven dried at 40 °C giving a dried extract [14]. The aqueous extract was prepared with chloroform-water by maceration for six h at room temperature. During maceration, it was subjected to occasional shaking on an International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences ISSN- 0975-1491 Vol 8, Issue 9, 2016