Effects of Cucumis melo and Citrullus lanatus extracts on glucose level, lipid profile and hepato-renal performance of streptozotocin-induced diabetic albino rats

• Published in: Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2024-01, Vol.37 (1), p.71-78
• Main Authors: Mehreen, Arifa, Iqbal, Muhammad Anwar, Ashfaq, Zunaira, Anwar, Rida, Mahmood, Mahwish, Jameel, Faisal, Khan, Muhammad Awais
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological products; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body weight; Care and treatment; Chemical properties; Citrullus - chemistry; Complications and side effects; Cucumis melo - chemistry; Development and progression; Dextrose; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetes therapy; Glucose; Health aspects; Hypoglycemic Agents - isolation & purification; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; Lipids - blood; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Male; Materia medica, Vegetable; Medicine, Botanic; Medicine, Herbal; Muskmelon; Physiological aspects; Plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Rats; Streptozocin; Triglycerides; Urea; Watermelons
• ISSN: 1011-601X
• DOI: 10.36721/PJPS.2024.37.1.REG.071-078.1

Diabetes mellitus, recognized by elevated glucose level in the body fluids is commonly caused by less insulin production or its action. To overcome the complications of diabetes, chemical drugs are never preferred over herbal medicines. Present study was designed to find out the anti-diabetic and health-promoting effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Cucumis melo and Citrullus lanatus in induced-diabetic albino rats. Thirty male albino rats were bought from the animal house of the university and divided randomly into five feeding groups (n=6). Diabetes was induced in rats of groups A, B, C & D by a single dose of intra-peritoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/Kg), whereas, the rats of group E were considered as control. The rats of groups A, B & C were fed basal diet supplemented with plant extracts (150mg/Kg body weight), whereas; only basal diet was offered to rats of groups D & E. After 28 days of the experiment, blood was collected for biochemical analysis. Results revealed that body weight, glucose, AST, ALB, GGT, HDL, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea and creatinine level differed significantly among treatment groups. It was therefore concluded that ethanolic leaf extracts of Cucumis melo and Citrullus lanatus can be used separately or in combination for the management of diabetes.