Bashir Ahmad, Asma Ahmed, Ghazala Irshad, Hassan Raza Aslam, Noman Khalique.
Anti-diabetic and Anti-Oxidative role of a Local Medicinal Plant Justicia Adhatoda L in Diabetes Mellitus.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;13(1):91-5.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the common metabolic and endocrinal disorder. This disorder is associated with many complications which may lead to morbidity and death of patient. There are many available synthetic antidiabetic agents that are used worldwide. Most of these drugs are expensive, and have undesirable pathological effects. Thus it is essential to look for cheap, effective, natural and safe antidiabetic agents. Aim: To evaluate antidiabetic, and antioxidant effects of a local plant Justicia adhatoda L commonly known as, Bhaiker. It is a shrub, up to 100cm tall, abundantly found in sub-tropical zone, including Pakistan. Method: By using methanolic extracts of leaves and flowers of J.adhatoda in –vivo on mice, antidiabetic and reducing power assays were performed including blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, Ferric chloride (FeCl3),,2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay and2,2'-azino-bis3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay. Results: The results showed significant reduction in blood glucose level of mice by leaves (2.32 and 2.0 mg/ ml), glycosylated hemoglobin (65 and 85 mg/ ml) in male and female mice respectively. FeCl3 Reducing power, DPPH, Reducing power assay and ABTS assay have shown significant results. Maximum antioxidant values has been represented by leaves of same plant. Conclusion: J. adhatoda possesses numerous bioactive compounds that include phenolic compounds, flavonoids and alkaloids and this plant has great potential to be developed as natural antidiabetic and antioxidant drugs.

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