ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC EFFECTS OF STEVIOSIDE ON DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

Stevioside as a natural sweetener was extracted from leaves of plant
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, and evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats.
Results showed that oral administration of 500 mg kg−1 body weight of the
stevioside for successive three weeks produced, significant reduction in blood
glucose in diabetic rats. These results were compared with glibenclamide (600
μg/kg, orally) as a standard antihyperglycaemic agent. Also, a deformation of
pancreatic b-cells was observed in the diabetic rats treated with stevioside. This
indicates that stevioside may be a promising antidiabetic agent in treatment of type
2 diabetes. Stevioside was proved to be a potential drug or food additive for
improving diabetes regulation.