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Journal of Thai Traditional & Alternative Medicine Vol. 8 No. 2 May-August (Supplement) 2010 Úı

OP-8

The effects of hypoglycemia and serum insulin promoted by flower extracted

from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. on diabetic rats.

1,2 2 2
Supasorn Sakuljaitrong , Chusri Talubmook , Sanong chomko
1
Department of Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Loei Rajabhat University, Thailand.
2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mahasarakham University, Thailand.

Rationale: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease and causes severe problems on health. Medicinal plants
are alternative way to treat diabetes. Many herbal medicines have been recommended for the diabetic treat-

ment. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is a perennial aquatic plant. Almost all parts of this plant can be used
as a herbal medicine. It displays strong antipyretic, cooling, astringent, demulcent properties, increase in heart
rate, and contraction. Furthermore, N. nucifera can be used for antidiabetes.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 90% ethanolic flower extract from
Nelumbo nucifera (NNE) on hypoglycemic effect and serum insulin in diabetic rats.

Methodology: Male albino Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g purchased from the National Laboratory Ani-
mal Centre (NLAC), Mahidol University, Thailand were used in this study. Diabetes were induced by a single
intra-peritoneal injection of 65 mg/kg B.W. of streptozotocin (STZ) dissolved in freshly and cold 20 mM citrate

buffer pH 4.5. After injection, the rats were provided with 2% sucrose solution as their drinking water for 48 h
to alleviate the severity after initial hypoglycemic phase. The rats with fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) higher
than 126 mg/dL were classified as diabetes in the experiments. The rats were randomly assigned to four groups
(n = 8). These are group I: normal rats, group II: diabetic rats, group III: diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide
(0.25 mg/kg B.W.) and group IV, diabetic rats treated with NNE (250 mg/kg B.W.). NNE was administered orally

and daily for eight weeks. FBG was measured weekly using glucometer. After eight weeks of treatment, the rats
were fasted over night and sacrificed under cervical dislocation technique. The blood sample were drawn from
the rat hearts and centrifuged with 3000 rpm for 10 min twice to separate blood serum. The serum insulin was

determined using the radioimmunoassay kit and detected by an automatic gramma counter.
Results: Statistical analysis of the data showed that NNE significantly (p<0.05) decreased FBG in diabetic
rats by 51.41±1.44%. On the other hand, NNE significantly (p<0.05) increased the serum insulin in diabetic rats
with a similar potent to glibenclamide (16.47±1.25 μIU/ml VS 17.92±1.08 μIU/ml).
Conclusion: These results suggest that the NNE had hypoglycemic effect and can increase serum insulin

in diabetic rats. Therefore, the NNE is a beneficial Thai traditional medicine and alternative medicine for
diabetic treatment.