Antidiabetic effect of Ficus bengalensis aerial roots in experimental animals.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 May 4; 123(1): 110-4Singh RK, Mehta S, Jaiswal D, Rai PK, Watal GETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Herbal preparations of Ficus bengalensis had been considered as effective, economical and safe ethnomedicines for various ailments in Indian traditional system of medicine. AIM OF STUDY: The present study was aimed to explore scientifically the antidiabetic potential of Ficus bengalensis aerial roots as its bark had already been reported to possess antidiabetic efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Effect of variable doses of aqueous extract of Ficus bengalensis aerial roots on blood glucose level (BGL) of normal-, sub- and mild-diabetic models have been studied and the results were compared with the reference drug Glipizide and elemental Mg and Ca intake as glycemic elements. RESULTS: The dose of 300 mg kg(-1) showed the maximum fall of 43.8 and 40.7% in BGL during FBG and glucose tolerance test (GTT) studies of normal rats, respectively. The same dose showed a marked reduction in BGL of 54.3% in sub- and 51.7% in mild-diabetic rats during GTT. The concentration of Mg (1.02%) and Ca (0.85%) identified through laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in the most effective dose could be responsible for this high percentage fall in BGL as they take part in glucose metabolism. CONCLUSION: The hypoglycemic effect in normoglycemic and antidiabetic effect in sub- and mild-diabetic models of aqueous extract of aerial roots of Ficus bengalensis are due to the presence of these glycemic elements in high concentration with respect to other elements.