Abstract

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ANTIDIABETIC TABLET CONTAINING WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT OF BIOPHYTUM SENSITIVUM ON THE BASIS OF TOTAL FLAVONOID CONTENT

Pal Tapas Kumar*¹, Kalita P¹, Burman T K¹, Chatterjee T K², Maity S¹

Abstract

Biophytum sensitivum D. C. belonging to the family of Oxalidaceae and commonly known as ‘Nagbeli’, and its powdered dry leaves are known traditional remedy for the treatment of ‘Madhumeha’ (diabetes). After the detailed study of methanolic extract of Biophytum sensitivum, an optimized tablet formulation using the dried whole plant methanolic extract was prepared and evaluated for antidiabetic activity in the present study. Three batches of such oral tablet formulations have been comparatively studied for their antioxidative properties invitro based on their total flavonoid content (TFC) against a standard flavonoid, Quercetin and also in vivo for their antidiabetic potentialities in Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats against Glibenclimide, an antidiabetic drug. The results of preformulation and post compression studies revealed that all the values were within acceptable limit as per the pharmacopoeial standards. The tablets were subjected to physicochemical characterization, invitro drug release and pharmacological studies. Different dissolution models were applied to drug release data in order to evaluate release mechanisms and kinetics. The drug release data fit well to the Ficksian mechanism of diffusion. Invitro studies revealed that B. sensitivum extract was well tolerated in high doses (200 mg/kg to 500 mg/Kg of B. Wt.) in mild to moderate diabetic cases (till 300 mg/dL of Blood glucose level). Thus the claims made by the traditional Indian systems of medicine regarding the use of this plant in the treatment of diabetes stands confirmed. The final conclusion drawn from the above mentioned data is that the possible use of these economical and relatively non toxic, non- hazardous natural remedies of plant origin may further be explored as adjuncts to antidiabetic therapy as they are devoid of major side effects associated with synthetic agents.

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