In-Vitro, In-Vivo Evaluation And Formulation Development Of Polyherbal Extract In Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rat

Abstract

The current study focuses on developing an optimized tablet dosage form for a polyherbal blend consisting of ten herbs known for their potent antidiabetic effects. Polyherbal formulations, extensively utilized worldwide for long-term diabetes management, naturally contain bioactive components such as glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and various other substances with targeted therapeutic activities. For this study, tablets were designed by combining polyherbal extracts from Gymnema sylvestre, Syzygium cumini, Pterocarpus marsupium, Psidium guajava, Mangifera indica, Costus igneus, Aloe barbadensis, Abelmoschus esculentus, Camellia sinensis, and Tinospora cordifolia, along with adequate excipients. Diabetes, a metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, is a growing concern, and studies highlight that the synergistic antidiabetic actions offered by polyherbal mixtures often outperform those of single herbs. A total of nine formulations (F1–F9) were developed during the research. Of these, F3, F7, and F9, which were identified through promising in-vitro results, were designated PHF I, PHF II, and PHF III, respectively. These formulations were subsequently administered to animal models at a dosage of 200 mg/kg body weight. Thirty Male Wistar Albino rats were categorized into six groups: Group I (Normal Control), Group II (Positive Control treated with Standard Glibenclamide), Group III (Negative Control), Group IV (treated with PHF I), Group V (treated with PHF II), and Group VI (treated with PHF III). Diabetes was chemically induced in Groups II–VI by administering streptozotocin (STZ) to elevate blood sugar levels. Thereafter, PHF I, II, and III were tested for their antihyperglycemic effects over a 28-day period in the STZ-induced diabetic rats. Among the three tested formulations, PHF II (200 mg/kg) exhibited the most pronounced and consistent hypoglycemic activity, even outperforming the standard Glibenclamide treatment at 50 µg/kg. Results suggest PHF II demonstrates remarkable antihyperglycemic efficacy. Additionally, in-vitro findings consistently pointed to F7 as the most effective formulation. This study underscores the promising role of polyherbal formulations in managing diabetes. Enhanced formulations hold the potential for subsequent scale-up trials. Future research should focus on in vivo studies involving human participants and evaluations of in vitro-in vivo correlations (IVIVC). Overall, the results indicate that this polyherbal combination could provide a robust basis for developing alternative anti-diabetic treatments