Aa. Alhader et al., HYPERGLYCEMIC AND INSULIN RELEASE INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF ROSMARINUS-OFFICINALIS, Journal of ethnopharmacology, 43(3), 1994, pp. 217-221
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.