Effects of Averrhoa bilimbi leaf extract on blood glucose and lipids in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

The present study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypolipi demic activities of an ethanolic extract of Averrhoa bilimbi Linn. leaves ( Oxalidaceae, Common name: Bilimbi) in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. T he optimal hypoglycemic dose (125 mg kg(-1)) was determined by performing t he oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in both normal and STZ-diabetic rats. To investigate the effect of repeated administration of an ethanolic extra ct of Averrhoa bilimbi (ABe) leaves, diabetic rats were treated with vehicl e (distilled water), ABe (125 mg kg(-1)) or metformin (500 mg kg(-1)) twice a day for 2 weeks. Like metformin, ABe significantly lowered blood glucose by 50% and blood triglyceride by 130% when compared with the vehicle. ABe also significantly increased the HDL-cholesterol concentrations by 60% comp ared with the vehicle. ABe thus significantly increased the anti-atherogeni c index and HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio. However, like metformi n, ABe did not affect total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, but significantly reduced the kidney lipid peroxidation level. These data show that ABe has hypoglycemic, hypotriglyceridemic, anti-lipid peroxidativ e and anti-atherogenic properties in STZ-diabetic rats. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.