PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF ETHANOLIC SEED EXTRACT OF ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS AND ITS EFFECT ON GLUCOSE TOLERANCE IN RABBITS

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the glucose tolerance and hypoglycemic activity along with the phytochemical constituents of ethanolic seed extract (ESEt) of Anethum graveolens in different groups of male rabbits (4/group). Orally administrated ESEt (10-500 mg/kg) was found non sedative and showed hypoglycemic activity by reducing the mean blood glucose level from (114 to 99 mg/dL) after 30 min. of administration while the doses (1000-3000 mg/kg) of the same extract showed itching along with hypoglycemia. In oral glucose tolerance test, ESEt at the doses of (50,100 and 150 mg/kg) showed significant hypoglycemic activity only at 30 min by decreasing blood glucose level from 175 to 49 mg/dL as compared to their control group. The phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, gallotannins, glycosides, saponins and steroids in the ESEt of A.graveolens. The results indicated that lower doses of ESEt of A.graveolens (10-500 mg/kg) were hypoglycemic but at higher doses (1000-3000 mg/kg), it produced itching along with hypoglycemia