International Journal of PharmTech Research CODEN (USA): IJPRIF ISSN : 0974-4304 Vol.4, No.1, pp 125-129, Jan-Mar 2012 Antihyperglycemic activity Evaluation of Rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe and Fruits of Sonneratia caseolaris (L.)Engl. Mohammed Rahmatullah*, Md. Nur Kabidul Azam, Sujan Pramanik, Sania, Shahnaz Rahman, Rownak Jahan Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh, *Corres.author: rahamatm@hotmail.com Telephone: 88-02-9136285,Fax: 88-02-8157339 Abstract: Diabetes is a debilitating disease affecting millions of people worldwide for which allopathic medicine has no known complete cure. Since the disease is projected to rise, significant scientific interest has focused on the plant kingdom towards discovery of newer anti-hyperglycemic drugs. The objective of the present research was to evaluate in oral glucose tolerance tests, the anti-hyperglycemic potential of methanol extract of Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes and fruits of Sonneratia caseolaris, both of which are used as anti-diabetics in the folk medicinal system of Bangladesh. Methanolic extract of rhizomes, when orally administered to glucose-loaded mice significantly and dose-dependently reduced concentrations of serum glucose. At extract doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight serum glucose concentrations were reduced by, respectively, 36.9, 39.4, 41.1 and 55.1%. In comparison, a standard anti-hyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide reduced serum glucose concentration by 63.9% at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight. Methanol extract of fruits also significantly and dose-dependently reduced serum glucose concentrations following administration, but the percent reductions were less than that obtained with rhizomes. At same doses of extract, serum glucose concentrations were reduced by 19.3, 27.6, 28.6 and 41.4%, respectively. The demonstrated anti-hyperglycemic activities by rhizomes of C. zedoaria and fruits of S. caseolaris validate their folk medicinal uses and warrants further studies towards elucidation of responsible phytochemical components, which can be potentially more efficacious drugs for treatment of diabetes. Key words: Curcuma zedoaria, Sonneratia caseolaris, anti-hyperglycemic, oral glucose tolerance.