Abstract

The present study aims to determine the effect of methanol and acetonic extracts of Bombax ceiba leaves on blood glucose levels of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg) and afterwards, the normal rats and diabetic rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups; normal control rats, diabetic control rats, diabetic rats administered metformin (120 mg/kg), diabetic rats received methanol extract of Bombax ceiba (400 mg/kg) and diabetic rats received acetonic extract of Bombax ceiba (400 mg/kg). The extracts and metformin were administered orally for 7 days. Significant (p≤ 0.05) reduction in blood glucose of diabetic rats in comparison with diabetic control group ‘was observed’. The methanol extract of Bombax ceiba was found to be more effective as hypoglycemic agent than both metformin and acetone which are almost at same level.