Hypolipidemic Effect of Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of Barringtonia acutangula Linn Root Extract on Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Our present study was to find out the hypolipidemic activity of an hydro-alcoholic extract of Barringtonia acutangula Linn root (EBA) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rats. Normal as well as diabetic albino rats was divided into groups (n=6) receiving different treatments i.e. vehicle (control), ethanolic extract, EBA (1g and 2g/kg b.w), STZ and glibenclamide. Blood samples was collected by cardiac puncture and wasanalyzed for lipid profile on days 0,7,14 and 21. STZ-treated diabetic rats has abnormal lipid profile, whereas the Barringtonia acutangula Linn root extract (EBA) treated groups showed significant improvement in the lipid profile comparable to glibenclamide treated group. However, improvement in lipid profile was less than that achieved with the standard drug glibenclamide. We conclude that administration of EBA improves lipid profile on euglycemic as well as diabetic rats. The probable mechanism of this action is delaying the intestinal absorption of dietary fat by inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity by saponin which is present in EBA.