Evaluation of hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity of methanol extract of Brassica oleracea

AIM:The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the methanol extract of Brassica oleracea var.capitata(MEB) was evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.METHOD:The study was conducted on twenty-eight healthy white rabbits of either sex.All animals were equally divided into four groups.After confirmation of hyperglycemia,the animals of the treated and standard groups were administered MEB(500 mg·kg-1) and glibenclamide(10 mg·kg-1),respectively for 15 and 30 days.The animals of the normal and diabetic controls received normal saline 1 mL/day equivalent to the volume of doses given to the test and standard animals.Biochemical tests were performed at the end of dosing,i.e.the 16th and 31st days.RESULTS:The MEB revealed a decrease of 106.6 mg·dL-1 in fasting blood glucose as compared to diabetic control,which was almost comparable to glibenclamide;both of these changes were highly significant.The decrease in total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein was 94.3 and 96.5 mg·dL-1,respectively,whereas the high-density lipoprotein was increased by 26.7 mg·dL-1,as compared to diabetic control.All of the changes in lipid profile were statistically significant.CONCLUSION:These results suggest the potential of MEB as a hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic agent.