HYPERGLYCEMIC AND INSULIN RELEASE INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF ROSMARINUS-OFFICINALIS

The effects of the volatile oil extracted from the leaves of Rosmarinu s officinalis on glucose and insulin levels were investigated in norma l rabbits, after the administration of an intraperitoneal glucose tole rance test (GTT). Also, the effects of the volatile oil on fasting pla sma glucose levels, were studied in alloxan diabetic rabbits. In norma l rabbits, the intramuscular (i.m.) administration of the volatile oil (25 mg/kg) produced 20% (P < 0.05), 27% (P < 0.01) and 55% (P < 0.001 ) increases in plasma glucose levels, above those of control animals, at the 60, 90 and 120 min intervals, respectively, following the admin istration of the intraperitoneal (i.p.) glucose test. The same treatme nt also resulted in a 30% (P < 0.002) decrease in serum insulin level, in comparison with that of control rabbits at the 30 min interval. In alloxan diabetic rabbits, R. officinalis volatile oil increased fasti ng plasma glucose levels by 17% (P < 0.05) above those of untreated an imals 6 h after its administration. These data suggest that the volati le oil of R. officinalis has hyperglycemic and insulin release inhibit ory effects in the rabbit.