Combined effect of Coccinia indica leaf extract with acarbose in type ii diabetes induced neuropathy in rats

Abstract

Uncontrolled diabetic can leads to various acute and chronic complications such as neuropathy, nephropathy, gastropathy, retinopathy etc. Combination of Coccinia indica with low dose of acarbose can be administered which would be useful in diabetic neuropathic pain by restoring blood glucose level and antioxidant status. Low dose of acarbose is given to avoid the hypoglycemic effect. Adult male Spraque Dawley rats weighing 200-250gm were selected for the study. They are divided into 6 groups with 6 animals each. Type 2 diabetes was induced by two weeks of HFD treatment followed by low dose 35mg/kg of STZ dissolved in 0.1M/l of citrate buffer through i.p route. Blood glucose estimation is done on every 15 days once. Single and multiple dose studies of ethanolic extract of Coccinia indica and acarbose was performed to assess the antihyperglycemic activity. Diabetic rats were treated with acarbose, quercetin, coccinia indica and its combination with acarbose for period of 7 weeks. Eddy’s hot plate test and tail immersion test were performed to assess the antinociceptive activity of the drugs. At the end of the treatment antioxidant status in the sciatic nerve was performed to find out the antioxidant status. Diabetic rats treated with Coccinia indica alone and in combination with low dose of acarbose produced significant decrease in the blood glucose level after 7 weeks of treatment. Untreated diabetic rats showed significant hypersensitivity towards thermal stimuli when compared with normal control. Histopathological studies proved that there is no damage in the sciatic nerve of the groups treated with the ethanolic extract of coccinia indica and its combination with low dose of acarbose.