Abstract
The present investigations evaluated the antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of Helicteres isora (L.) fruits belonging to the family Sterculiaceae. The hot water extract of Helicteres isora fruits was prepared and screened for its in vitro antioxidant activity using 1,1-diphenyl,2-picryl hydrazyl assay, ss-carotene-linoleate model and microsomal lipid peroxidation or thiobarbituric acid reactive species assays and the IC(50) values were calculated. Antidiabetic effect was studied using the in vitro glucose uptake in the isolated rat hemi-diaphragm model. The hot water extract of Helicteres isora showed maximum activity with IC(50) value 25.12+/-0.18 mug/ml for 1,1-diphenyl,2-picryl hydrazyl assay method, and low activity with IC(50) value 740.64+/-4.76 mug/ml for microsomal lipid peroxidation assay. In the ss-carotene-linoleate model, the extract showed 45.63% antioxidant activity. The extract produce a significant (P<0.05) uptake of glucose by isolated rat hemi-diaphragm but less effective to that of the reference drug, metformin. The hot water extract of fruit of Helicteres isora exhibited significant antioxidant activity and moderate antidiabetic activity and merits further investigation in animal models and isolation of its active constituents.