Suphaket Saenthaweesuk, Amornat Thuppia, Kornkanok Ingkaninan, and Seewaboon Sireeratawong

pp. 73 - 78

Abstract

The purposes of our present study were to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of aqueous leaves extract of Annona squamosa L. at different doses and histology of the pancreas in normal and diabetic rats after receiving the extract. The study of antihyperglycemic activities was undertaken by oral administration of vehicle, glibenclamide (3 mg/kg) and water leaves extract of Annona squamosa L (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) for 12 days. Fasting blood glucose levels were recorded on
the fifth and twelfth days of administration and the third day after stopping administration. The results showed that diabetic rats receiving the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg leaves extract had statistically significant (p<0.05) reduced fasting blood glucose level on the fifth and twelfth days of administration. In oral glucose tolerance test, the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg leaves extract were able to reduce blood glucose levels from 60 minutes onward. The histological study showed improvement of diabetic pancreases with a dose-dependent effect in which diabetic pancreases possessed a clearer shape of islet of
Langerhans and the cellular shape within the islet was rounder than in the pancreas of diabetic rats receiving vehicle only. The present data suggest that water leaves extract of Annona squamosa L. has an antihyperglycemic effect and is able to improve the histological appearance of diabetic rat pancreas.