MVSc

The present study was undertaken to assess the antidiabetic activity of Pleurotus ostreatus and its combination with Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos in a model of alloxan induced diabetic rats.

The experiment was conducted in seventy two adult Sprague-Dawley male rats which were randomly divided into nine groups of eight animals each. Group I served as normal control. All the groups except normal control were made diabetic by the subcutaneous injection of alloxan at the dose rate of 130 mg/kg body weight. Group II was kept as the diabetic control.

In the initial phase, rats of group III, IV and V were administered orally with ethanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus at the dose rate of 250,500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight respectively from day 16 to day 45. Parameters like blood glucose, serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride were estimated on zeroth day, 16th, 30th and 45th day. Body weight was also recorded on these days. Liver glycogen was estimated on 45th day after sacrificing the animals.

All the three treatment groups except diabetic control showed gradual increase in body weight after 30 days of treatment. Among the treatment groups, the maximum regain in body weight was observed in rats treated with Pleurotus ostreatus at the dose rate of 1000 mg/kg (group V). The highest decrease in blood glucose level was also observed with the same group. Administration of the extract also produced significant reduction in serum cholesterol level. Group V showed the lowest serum cholesterol level and serum triglyceride level. The liver glycogen level was found to be highest in group V.

The results of the present study clearly demonstrated the hypoglycaemic effect of Pleurotus ostreatus. It was also quite evident that among the three doses of Pleurotus ostreatus chosen, the dose rate of 1000 mg/kg was found to possess the highest hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effect. Hence this was selected as the suitable dose for combination with Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos.

In the second phase of study, group VI received ethanolic extract of Murraya koenigii at the dose rate of 250 mg/kg and group VII was given ethanolic extract of Aegle marmelos at the same dose rate from day 16 to day 45. A combination of the ethanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus at the dose rate of 1000 mg/kg with Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos each at the dose rate of 250 mg/kg was given to group VIII for the same period. Group IX received glibenclamide at the dose rate of 0.25 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Group I and II served as normal and diabetic control respectively.

Parameters like body weight, blood glucose, serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride were recorded on zeroth day, 16th, 30th and 45th day. Liver glycogen was estimated on 45th day after sacrificing the animals.

After 30 days of treatment, a significant gain in body weight was observed in animals which underwent combination therapy compared to group VI and VII and the effect was comparable to that produced by glibenclamide. The animals which received Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos (groups VI and VII) showed similar reduction in blood glucose level. Group VIII which received combination showed a significant reduction in blood glucose level than groups VI and VII suggesting a synergistic effect of the three drugs in producing hypoglycaemia. However, the most effective reduction in blood glucose level was produced by glibenclamide.

A significant decrease in serum cholesterol level was seen in all treated groups compared to diabetic control. Among the groups treated with ethanolic extract, group VIII showed the lowest serum cholesterol level. Group IX which received glibenclamide showed the highest reduction in serum cholesterol level. The highest reduction in serum triglyceride level was also shown by group IX followed by group VIII. Animals treated with Aegle marmelos extract (group VII) had a higher liver glycogen value than those treated with Murraya koenigii (group VI). Treatment with the combination produced significant regain in liver glycogen level but was lower than that obtained with group IX.

From the study, it can be concluded that the combination of Pleurotus ostreatus with Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos has the highest hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effect than the individual effect of Murraya koenigii and Aegle marmelos suggesting a synergistic action of the three.