Comparative effects of some medicinal plants on blood glucose concentration and lipid levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

The comparative effects of the chloroform extracts of the leaves of Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae), Anacardium occidentale (Anacardiaceae) and Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae) and fruits of Xylopia aethiopica (Annonaceae) on blood glucose concentration and lipid levels of diabetic rats were investigated using standard methods. The results show 74, 82 and 83% reductions in the blood glucose concentrations upon the administration of A. occidentale (100 mg/kg body weight), E. globulus (100 mg/kg body weight) and X. aethiopica (250 mg/kg body weight) extracts respectively as from the 10th hour of treatments in relation to the 74 and 69% reductions in glibenclamide and diabetic untreated groups respectively while the synergic treatment group [A. occidentale + E. globulus (100 mg/kg body weight)] showed 83% decrease in the blood glucose concentration as from the 10th hour upon the administration of the combined extracts when compared with the values obtained for the glibenclamide and diabetic untreated groups. P. guajava extract had the greatest significant (p