The world is facing an explosive increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus and cost-effective combination therapies are needed. Pterocarpus marsupium and Metformin have been used for their antidiabetic effect for decades. The present study was aimed at finding novel combination of the synthetic antidiabetic, metformin and aqueous extract of the herbal antidiabetic agent, Pterocarpus marsupium and rationalization of dose thereof. Alloxan diabetic male albino Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g (N = 6) were fed various combinations of metformin and P. marsupium (240, 120, and 60 mg/kg of metformin along with 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of P. marsupium respectively) for 10 consecutive days and tested for antidiabetic effect during acute and sub acute tests. Diabetic rats fed with all the combinations showed a decrease in fasting blood glucose (P<0.0001) vs. diabetic control, the group treated with the combination of metformin and P. marsupium 120 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg respectively found to be the best (P<0.0001).The combination including 240mg/kg of Metformin or 500 mg/kg of P. marsupium showed no mortality or abnormality. These data for the combination of metformin and P. marsupium are significant for antidiabetic activity and are adequate for phase 2 clinical trials to evaluate this novel combination as combination therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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