Comparative evaluation of hypoglycemic activity of Cucumis sativus and Cucurbita pepo whole plant in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Background- Crude extracts are easily available and considered safe and cost-effective in comparison with synthetic extracts, or more accessible compared with purified compounds, making them suitable for initial screening and exploratory studies in drug discovery.

Introduction- Cucumis sativus and Cucurbita pepo are medicinal plants belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, commonly known as cucumber and pumpkin, comprising a series of phytochemicals such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, oleanolic acid, saponin, and triterpenoids.

Materials and Methods- In this study, ethanol extract of Cucumis sativus and Cucurbita pepo whole plants was used to assess their hypoglycemic effects in a fasted, fed, glucose- and streptozotocin-induced diabetes model of albino rats followed by Molecular Spectroscopic (FTIR and UV-Vis) analysis. Blood sugar levels were determined from samples collected at different intervals (0, 1, 2 and 4 hours).

Results and Conclusions- Significant blood glucose reduction was observed as a result of both plants, while the greatest reduction was shown by Cucumis sativus. The UV-Vis profile showed several absorption bands ranging from 200 to 800 nm, showing the presence of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, carotenoids, and chlorophyll. The FTIR spectra reveal the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and phenolic compounds, which contribute to its nutritional and biological value. Further research is needed to determine the active agents and the likely mechanism of action of both the plants regarding their hypoglycemic effects.