HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECT OF STIGMAST-4-EN-3-ONE, FROM PARKIA-SPECIOSA EMPTY PODS

Oral administration of the chloroform extracts of Parkia speciosa (pet al papan) empty pods to alloxan-induced diabetic rats produced a signi ficant reduction in blood glucose levels. A hypoglycaemic assay guided extraction, isolation and structure elucidation gave stigmast-4-en-3- one, Stigmast-4-en-3-one produced 84% activity at 100 mg kg body weigh t (BW) compared to 111% activity of gliben clamide at 5 mg kg(-1) BW d osages. The minimum effective dose which produced statistically signif icant hypoglycaemic effect was 50 mg pericarp kg(-1) BW. Hypoglycaemic effect was not observed in healthy rats. Stigmast-4-en-3-one is there fore identified as a new oral hypoglycaemic agent occurring naturally in food.