Antidiabetic effect of Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae) on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and its role in regulating carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes

Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae) is a climbing perennial herb, growing throughout India and it is widely used in the traditional treatment of diabetes. The aim of present study was to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of the mature unripe of Coccinia grandis in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats with special reference to carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes. The optimum dose of Coccinia grandis extract (GCE) was determined by oral glucose tolerance test. The effects of CGE were compared with glibenclamide. Oral administration of Coccinia grandis extract at a concentration of 250 mg/kg body weight once daily to diabetic rats for the period of 30 days resulted in significant reduction in the levels of plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin. Administration of CGE showed a significant increase in the levels of glycolytic enzymes and glycogen content and decrease in the levels of gluconeogenic enzymes in the liver of diabetic treated rats. The anti-hyperglycemic effect of the extract was comparable with glibenclamide, a known hypoglycemic drug. Present findings provide experimental evidence that the fruits of C. grandis have potential antidiabetic activity which might be used as a functional food and safe remedy for the treatment of diabetes and associated complications.