Preliminary Study of Hypoglycemic Effect of Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) on Wistar Albino Rat

The hypoglycemic effect of locust bean (parkia biglobosa) in Wistar Albino rats was assessed. Blood glucose concentrations were determined for each group using glucose oxidase method. Group A (Control) received growers mash, while groups B,C and D received 20%, 40% and 50% of locust bean respectively for 21 days. There was significant decrease in the blood glucose concentrations of rats in groups C (5.5±0.03) and D (5.1±0.03) when compared with control (5.8±0.07mM/L), p≤0.05 on the 7th day of the treatments. However rats in group B only showed significant decrease in blood glucose concentrations on the 14th and 21st days (5.4±0.03mM/L and 5.3±0.03mM/L) respectively, when compared with the control (5.8±0.04mM/L and 5.8±0.06mM/L) respectively, p≤0.05. The validation of the hypoglycemic activity of locust bean suggest that it may be useful in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.