ANTI DIABETIC AND
ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF
WITHANIA SOMNIFERA
BY SHEENAL DAVDRA
U29/35699/2010
SUPERVISOR: DR. S. N. NDWIGAH
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
ABSTRACT
• Study objectives: The study was mainly aimed at reviewing the
hypoglycaemic and analgesic effects of Withania somnifera.
• Methodology: The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test was performed
to evaluate hypoglycaemic activity while analgesic property of
the extract was evaluated using the analgeisometer method.
• Results: W. somnifera was found to have hypoglycaemic with
very mild analgesic activity.
• Conclusion: W. somnifera showed hypoglycaemic activity and
very mild analgesic activity.
INTRODUCTION
• Diabetes is a group of metabolic disease in which a
person has high blood sugar, either because the
pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or
because cells do not respond to the insulin that is
produced. Untreated, diabetes can cause many
complications like renal failure, diabetic retinopathy
and cardiovascular diseases.
INTRODUCTION…
• Pain is among the most common symptoms
leading to an unpleasant feeling that is related
to real or potential tissue damage. The main
strategies if pain management include pain
relieving
medications,
complementary therapies.
physical
and
LITERATURE REVIEW
• Plants have become a great importance as the
sources
of
medicines,
example
Withania
somnifera. It has been used for the management
of :
1. Anxiety
4.Tuberculosis
2. Tumours
5. Asthma
3. Parkinson’s disease
6. Arthritis
Figure 1: Withania somnifera plant.
STUDY JUSTIFICATION
Conventional medicines used for management of chronic
debilitating illnesses such as diabetes are costly and have
many adverse effects. This calls for exploitation of natural
herbs that are effective alternatives to conventional
medicines.
STUDY OBJECTIVES
To carry out anti diabetic and analgesic effects of W.
somnifera.
METHODOLOGY
• W. somnifera was collected from Ruai and extracted
using water by maceration and decoction, while
soxhlet extraction was done using methanol and
chloroform.
• The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test was performed on
rats using the plant extracts. Metformin and normal
saline were used as positive and negative controls
respectively.
METHODOLOGY…
• The analgesic property of the extract was evaluated
using the analgeisometer method. The extracts
were
administered
intraperitoneally
and
observations made on the duration taken for the
mice to respond to heat stimulus. Morphine and
normal saline were used as positive and negative
control respectively.
RESULTS
• W. somnifera was found to have
hypoglycaemic effect with an onset
of action between 30-60 min with
maximum effect at 240 min
metformin
maceration extract
chloroform extract
Blood glucose
concentration (mg/dl)
250
methanol extract
decoction extract
normal saline
200
150
100
50
0
-100
-50
0
50
100
Time in minutes
150
200
250
300
RESULTS…
• Very mild analgesic activity was
observed when compared to the
negative and positive controls.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATIONS
• W. somnifera showed hypoglycaemic activity and
very mild analgesic activity. These results are very
encouraging and indicate that the herb should be
studied more extensively to confirm these results
and reveal other potential therapeutic effects. This
should be followed with clinical trials using the
plant for a variety of conditions should also be
conducted.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• My sincere gratitude goes to my project supervisor
Dr. S. N. Ndwigah for his advice, guidance and support
throughout the entire project. I am also greatful to
Dr. A. O. Okaru for his assistance.
• Special
tribute
Pharmaceutical
goes
to
Chemistry
the
Department
of
and
Department
of
Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy technologists for
their technical assistance.
REFERENCES
• Alexiou P. and Demopoulos V.J. (2010). Medicinal plants
used for the treatment of diabetes and its long term
complications. Page 69-175. Department of Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, school of pharmacy Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, Greece.
• Definition, diagnosis, and classification of diabetes mellitus
and its complications. World Health Organization (1999).
Available.at http://www.who.int/diabetes/publications.
THANKYOU