Hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic activities of the aqueous leaf and seed extract of Phyllanthus amarus in mice A.A. Adeneye a, ⁎ , O.O. Amole a , A.K. Adeneye b a Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, P.M.B. 21266, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria b Public Health Division, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, P.M.B. 2013, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria Received 18 October 2005; accepted 30 May 2006 Available online 15 July 2006 Abstract The effect of the aqueous leaf and seed extracts of Phyllanthus amarus at oral dose of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg was investigated for their antidiabetic and anti-lipidemic potentials. The extract produced a dose-dependent decrease in the fasting plasma glucose and cholesterol, and reduction in weights in treated mice. The results suggest that the extract could be enhancing peripheral utilization of glucose but the mechanisms on how this works remain unclear. © 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V. Keywords: Phyllanthus amarus; Hypoglycemia; Hypocholesterolemia 1. Introduction In drug discovery and development, medicinal herbs have consistently been considered the leading source of pharmaceuticals, employed in the treatment of various human diseases due to their high chemical diversity and broad biological functionality [1]. Diabetes mellitus and obesity remain the most common disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. The WHO Expert Committee on diabetes recommended further evaluation of the folkloric methods of managing this disease because of the high mortality and morbidity arising from its attendant complications and problems associated with the use of conventional antidiabetic agents. Several indigenous medicinal plants are employed in the traditional management of diabetes mellitus but there is a need to conduct pharmacognostic and pharmacological studies to ascertain their therapeutic values [2]. One of such plants is Phyllanthus amarus. P. amarus Schum. and Thonn. (Euphorbiaceae) is a small, erect annual herbal shrub whose stem has a green smooth capsule, and grows up to 10–50 cm high and blooms with flowers of 5 white sepals and apical acute anther. The fruit has a green capsule, smooth and fruiting pedicels measuring 1–1.5 mm and dilated at the apex; the seeds are longitudinally rugose [3]. The plant is locally known as Iyin-Olobe (Yoruba) in South–West Nigeria. The plant has been attributed with antihypertensive, antidiabetic, analgesic, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective and antidiarrheal properties by local herbalists. The hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic values of the plant leaves Fitoterapia 77 (2006) 511 – 514 www.elsevier.com/locate/fitote ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +234 803 583 5589 (mobile). E-mail address: adeneye2001@yahoo.com (A.A. Adeneye). 0367-326X/$ - see front matter © 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2006.05.030