ANTIDIABETIC AND ANTIHYPERGLYCAEMIC EFFECTS OF NEEM SEEDS KERNEL POWDER ON ALLOXAN DIABETIC RABBITS

Objective: To study the effects of neem kernel powder(NP) and glibenclamide. alone or in combination, on alloxan diabetic rats. Methods: The diabetic rabbits were given with NP alone or in combination with glibenclamide for thirty days and at the end of thirty days the serum lipid levels, blood glucose and activities of some serum, liver and intestinal enzymes were assessed. Results: Administration of NP alone (500 mg/kg) as well as the combination of NP (250mg/kg) with glibenclamide (0.25mg/kg) significantly decreased the concentration of serum lipids, blood glucose and activities of serum enzymes like alkaline phosphatase (alk P), acid phosphatase (acid P), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), liver glucose 6-phosphatase (G6P) and HMG CoA reductase activity in liver and intestine of alloxan diabetic rabbits. However, all the treatments produced an increased liver hexokinase activity. The changes observed were significantly greater when the treatment was given in combination of NP and glibenclamide than with NP alone. Conclusion: Our data suggest a significant antidiabetic and antihyperlipaemic effect of NP in alloxan diabetic rabbits.