Studies on phytochemical screening and hypoglycemic evaluation of aloe vera leave extracts on alloxan induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Aloe vera is perhaps the most useful traditional medicinal plant in India. Each part of the plant has some medicinal property and is thus commercially exploitable. The fresh gel extracts of Aloe vera leaves with petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, methanol and water were screened for the presence of phytochemical constituents and found to be rich in tannins, steroids, saponins, carbohydrates, glycosides, fixed oils, flavonoids and polyphenols. The blood glucose lowering effect of all the extracts and standard drug glibenclamide was also studied. Glibenclamide (5mg/kg) cause maximum reduction in blood glucose level (62.55%) where as significant lowering in blood glucose level observed with test (1 – 5) drugs (100mg/kg) which was 17.56, 27.74, 30.18, 31.76, and 48.22% respectively.