Purpose:
To investigate the hypoglycaemic activity of various extracts of the aerial part of
Acalypha fruticosa
in normal rabbits.
Methods:
The rabbits were randomly assigned to 8 groups (n = 3) and treated with a single oral dose.
Group 1 served as normal control and received 2 % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, 3 ml/kg); group 2 served
as standard treatment and received metformin (300 mg/kg); groups 3 - 8 received different extracts of
Acalypha fruticosa at a dose of (600 mg/kg) as follows: group 3, total methanol extract; group 4,
Petroleum ether (PET) extract; group 5, chloroform extract; group 6, ethyl acetate extract; group 7, nbutanol
extract; and group 8, aqueous extract. Serum glucose (fasting blood glucose, FBG) was
determined using a diagnostic kit on a glucose analyzer.
Results:
A single dose of the aqueous extract of
Acalypha fruticosa significantly lowered (p < 0.5) FBG
at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h by 16, 29.5, 19.8, and 23.9 %, respectively, compared with normal control group,
whereas standard treatment (metformin) did not affect FBG at all of these time-points measured.
Furthermore, the aqueous extract (AEA) lowered FBG at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h by 24, 34.4, 25.9, and 17 %,
respectively (p < 0.5), compared with metformin treatment. Chloroform extract also significantly lowered
FBG at 1, 2, and 4 h by 17.3, 24.8, and 14.7 %, respectively, compared to metformin treatment (p <
0.5).
Conclusion:
The results of this study show that the aqueous extract of the aerial parts of
Acalypha
fruticosa possess potential hypoglycaemic activity but further studies are required to elucidate the exact
mechanisms of action.
