Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and insufficiency of secretion or action of endogenous insulin. At least 171 million people worldwide have diabetes. This figure is likely to more than double by 2030 to reach 366 million. There is a need to search for new drugs with minimum side effects and good therapeutic activity. Herbal medicines play a major role in the treatment of diabetes. Combination of phytoconstituents from well documented plants source can be a new approach to consider in management of diabetes and its associated complications. Curcumin and quercetin are well known phytoconstituents obtained from Curcuma longa and Thea sensis (Tea) respectively. Curcumin (60 mg/kg, p.o.) and quercetin (10 mg/kg, p.o.) are reported to possess antihyperglycemic activity. In the present study, the effect of three different combinations C1, C2 and C3 in the ratio of 70:30, 50:50 and 30:70, respectively of curcumin and quercetin, on plasma glucose, was evaluated in normoglycemic animals. In the hypoglycemic study, normoglycemic animals treated with combinations did not show any significant change in the blood glucose level as compared to normal control group. In anti-hyperglycemic study, all the combinations significantly prevented the increase (p<0.01) in the glucose level at 30, 90 and 150 min. as compared to normal control group. Curcumin alone and quercetin alone showed significant decrease (p<0.01) in elevated glucose level at 90 and 150 min as compared to normal control group. Among all combinations C.2 showed better antihyperglycemic effect in oral glucose tolerance test.
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