Pharmacognostical Phytochemical Studies and Evaluation of Antidiabetic Potential of Biophytum Sensitivum DC and Biophytum intermedium Wt

Abstract

There are wide developments in the treatment of diabetes mellitus with synthetic drugs, side effects such as hypoglycemia at higher dose administration, low oral bioavailability due to degradation in stomach makes it necessary to find other alternatives. Therefore, there is an owing interest in discovering natural treatments without negative side effects that can reduce these risk factors in diabetic patients. The macroscopical, microscopical studies of leaflet, stem and root to ascertain the arrangement of tissues of both selected medicinal plants Biophytum sensitivum (L.) DC. var. sensitivum and Biophytum intermedium Wight. were evaluated. The T.S. of leaflet through midrib, crystal distribution around the vascular bundle of the midrib, leaf lamina, leaf margin, stomata, T.S. of stem, T.S. of root and the powder analysis of both plants were evaluated. Quantitative microscopy, physico-chemical evaluation, extractive values and fluorescence analysis for both plants were determined. The shade dried coarsely powdered material extracted separately in Soxhlet apparatus using various solvents according to their polarity. As per literatures, the ethanolic extracts were selected for both plants for further study. The ethanolic extracts of both plants showed the presence of plant constituents like flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterol, saponins, tannins and phenolic compounds, proteins and free amino acids, lignins, volatile oils by qualitative chemical tests. The acute toxicity study of ethanolic extracts of whole plants of Biophytum sensitivum DC. and Biophytum intermedium Wt. revealed the nontoxic newlinenature of the plants. In conclusion, ethanolic extracts of whole plants of Biophytum sensitivum DC. and Biophytum intermedium Wt. showed significant antidiabetic and antioxidant effect in diabetic rats after oral administration. The observed antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activity of Biophytum sensitivum DC. and Biophytum intermedium Wt. might be due to the presence of flavonoid glycosides as active constituents. newline