Indian J. Anim. Res.

, 43 (2) : 139-141,2009 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION JCENTRE

www.arccjournals.com/indianjournals.com

HYPOGLYCAEMIC EFFECT OF PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS IN RATS

L. Saritha Krishna, P.T.A. Usha, and A.M. Chandrasekhara Nair

Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala - 680 651, India

ABSTRACT
The study was conducted to assess the hypoglycaemic effect of Pleurotus ostreatus in alloxan
diabetic rats. Three dose levels of Pleurotus ostreatus (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) were tested in
rats. All the alloxan diabetic rats showed decrease in body weight. Administration of Pleurotus
ostreatus resulted in increasing body weight in a dose dependent manner. A dose dependent
decrease in blood glucose level was obtained with P. ostreatus at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/
kg. The increased serum cholesterol level observed in alloxan diabetic animals was reversed with
the administration of P. ostreatus. The lowest serum cholesterol level was observed with 1000
mg/kg of P. ostreatus. All the experimental groups showed reduction in the serum triglyceride
level but the most significant result (P<0.05) was shown by Group V. The diabetic animals
showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in liver glycogen level but the liver glycogen level was
.significantly increased (P<0.05) when treated with P. ostreatus. The present study revealed
hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effect of P. ostreatus.
Key words: Hypoglycaemic, Pleurotus ostreatus, Rats.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease of sensitivity. It is quite clear from the literature that
. greater concern world wide causing severe notmuch scientific studies have been carried put to
complications induding blindness, cardiac and elucidate hypoglycaemic effect of Pleurotus speci.es.
kidney diseases. It is characterized by abnormal Therefore, it is worthwhile to undertake this study to
insulin secretion or insulin receptor or post receptor evaluate the hypoglycaemic effect of Pleurotus
events affecting carbohydrate, protein 'and fat ostreatus in alloxan diabetic rats.
metabolism and it damages liver, kidney and Beta
MATERIAL AND METHODS
cells of pancreas (Singh et al., 2005). In animals,
The study was conducted in adult Sprague-
diabetes mellitus occurs most frequently in dogs and
Dawby strain male albino rats weighing 150-200 g.
cats. Some' breeds like Miniature poodles, Scottish
terriers, Rot Weiler and Dachshund have a genetic All the rats were maintained under identical
predisposition towards diabetes. In modern conditions of feeding and management practices in
medicine satisfactory effective therapy is not the laboratory for one week before the
available to cure diabetes mellitus. Insulin and oral commencement of study. The experiment was
hypoglycaemic agents like salphonyl ureas and carried out for a period of 45 days. Fresh Oyster
~., biguanides are still major drugs in the management mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was dried under
of this disease (Ghosh et al., 2004). Although oral shade at room temperature, powdered and extracted
hypoglycaemic agents and insulin are mainstay in using ethanol in Soxhlet apparatus. The liqUid
the treatment of diabetes and are effective in extract was then dried by keeping in a water bath at
controlling hyperglycaemia, they have side effects low temperature. A weighed quantity of crude
and fail to alter the course of diabetic complications. extract was homogenized with five per cent gum
This highlights the importance of searching for an acacia and administered orally to rats. Forty rats
alternate therapy with drugs having not only were randomly divided into five groups comprising
insulinotropic effect but also increased insulin of eight animals each.
140 INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL RESEARCH
Table 1: Effect of different doses of ethanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus on body weight (g)
Period (days) Group I Group II Group III Group IV Group V
o 170.00 ± 4.22 173.75 ± 4.97 178.75 ± 3.98 175.00 ± 3.27 171.25 ± 3.98
16 180.00 ± 3.78A 152.50 ± 3.66B 148.75 ± 2.26BC 151.25 ± 3.5B 146.25 ± 3.24BC
30 192.5 ± 3.13A 140.00 ± 2.67 F 158.75 ± 2.26CDE 162.5 ± 13BCD 165 ± 2.67 BC
45 202.5 ± 3.66A 133.75 ± 3.24F 161.25 ± 2.26DE 163.75 ± 3.23cDE 167.50 ± 2.5BCD

Table 2: Effect of different doses of ethanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus on blood glucose levels m (mg/dl)
Period (days) Group I Group II Group III Group IV Group V
o 90.57 ±1.11 94.62 ±3.25 95.43±2.85 94.56±2.28 91.54±2.65
16 94.43±1.99B 260.69±8.07A 265.1±4.85A 255.12±3.68A 258.86±453A
30 96.74±2.12F 262.7±8.74A 219.7 ± 4.39 BCD 215.17±4.53 CD 201.57±4.09 DE
45 91.33±1.86F 264.93±8.77A 177.56±3.95C 160.72±3.26D 154.9±3.16D
(Means bearing same superscript do not differ significantly at P<0.05)

Group I - Normal control, administered with dichloromethane extract of Ibervillea sonorae. A

five per cent Gum acacia p.o daily (0.5 ml) from dose dependent decrease in blood glucose level was
16th to 45th day. obtained .with PIeurotus ostreatus at doses of 250,._
500 and 1000 mg/kg (Table 2). Raphel et al. (2002)
Group II - Diabetic control, administered with also reported a decrease in blood glucose level after
single dose of 10 per cent alloxan at a dose of 130 administration of Phyllanthus amarus extract.
mg/kg subcutaneous on day zero. Animals under diabetic control group showed
Group III - Diabetic rats, administered with substantial increase in total serum cholesterol (Table
ethanolic extract of PIeurotus ostreatus at a dose of 3). Lino et al. (2004) suggested that hyperlipidaemia
250 mg/kg p.o. daily from 16th to 45th day. occurs in untreated patients because of altered
Group IV - Diabetic rats, administered with metaolism of carbohydrate, ketones and amino
ethanolic extract of PIeurotus ostreatus at a dose of acids. The abnormalities could be due to decrease
?OO mg/kg p.o. daily from 16th to 45th day. in the circulating concentration of insulin (insulin
deficiency) and decrease in the response of
Group V - Diabetic rats, administered with
peripheral tissues to insulin (insulin resistance). There
ethanolic extract of PIE;urotus ostreatus at a dose of
was substantial reduction in serum cholesterol level
1000 mg/kg p.o. daily from 16th to 45th day.
in all the treated groups after 30 days of
Body weight, blood glucose, serum administration of Pleurotus ostreatus. The dose rate
cholesterol and serum triglyceride were estimated of 1000 mg/kg showed lowest cholesterol level of
on zeroth, 16th , 30th and 45th day. On 45th day, all 95.63 ± 2.51 mg/di. This finding is in agreement
the animals were sacrificed and liver glycogen was with the observation of Bopanna et al. (1997) who
estimated. found that the administration of neem kernel powder
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION alone at the dose rate of 500 mg/kg decreased
All the groups showed gradual decrease in concentration of serum lipids in alloxan diabetic rats
body weight from 16th to 45th day except in norn1al (Table 4). There was significant increase in serum
control. This agrees with the finding of Xie et aI. triglyceride level in all the diabetic rats. Shirwaikar
(2003) who reported that the body weight get reduced et al. (2005) suggested that the most common lipid
in diabetic patients due to increased mobilization of abnormalities in diabetes were hypertriglyceridaemia
fatty acids from storage. The animals treated with and hypercholesterolemia. All the experimental
PIeurotus ostreatus showed increase in body weight groups exhibited reduction in serum triglyceride level.
in a dose dependent manner (Table 1). Similar The group V showed lowest serum triglyceride level
increase in body weight was observed by Alarcon- of 106.75 ± 1.51 mg/k~. Lowering of serum
Aguilar et aI. (2005) who administered triglyceride level was also observed by Chakrabarti
 Vol. 43, No.2, 2009 141
Table 3: Effect of different doses of ethanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus on serum cholesterol level in diabetic rats (mgidl)
Period (days) Group I Group II Group III Group IV Group V
o 78.13±3.74 75.00±4.21 68.13±3.35 79.38±2.57 82.00±2.47
16 79.25±2.70D 156.75±3.49AB 151.75±3.61ABC 155.75±3.37ABC 151.75±3.68DC
30 80.13±2.17F 152.88±2.17A 132.75±3.28B 131.38±3.05BC 124.75±3.07D
45 80.63±3.03E 154.63±2.80A 106.63±2.83B 104.63±2.64C 95.63±2.5lD
(Means bearing same superscript do not differ significantly at P<O.05)

Table 4: Effect of different doses of ethanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus on serum triglyceride level in diabetic rats (mgldl)
Period (days) Group I Group II Group III Group IV (;roup V
o 69.63±1.90 70.25±1.89 70.38±1.66 72.75±1.94 74.13±1.91
16 72.00±1.13D 158.13±1.63BC 158.88±2.14BC 163.38±2.26AB 165.13±1.88A
30 70.00±1.56F 157.63±O.94A 137.38±2.17C 138.13±2.01C 137.00±1.96C
45 68.75±1.31G 160.38±1.22A 113.50±2.09C 1l1.13±1.85CD 106.75±1.57D
(Means bearing same superscript do not differ significantly at P<0.05)

et al. (2005) by the administration of Caesalpinia Pleurotus ostreatus produced significant increase in
bonduceJIa for 28 days in rats. The diabetic liver 9"lcogen when compared to diabetic control.
animals showed marked deGrease in liver glycogen John (2003) also reported similar observation and
content. The decrease in hepatic and skeletal suggested that increase in liver glycogen may be due
muscle glycogen content in diabetic rats was to enhanced rate of glycogenesis. The results of the
observed by Maiti et al. (2004). They suggested present study revealed that Pleurotus ostreatus at
that decrease in muscle and hepatic glycogen may the rate of 1000 mg/kg is the most suitable dose rate
be due to lack of insulin and also inactivation of among the doses tested in redUcing blood glucose
glycogen synthase system. Treatment with and lipid levels.

REFERENCES
Alarcon-Aguilar, EJ. et al. (2005). J. Ethnopharmacol. 97: 447-452
Bopanna, K.N. et al. (1997). Indian J. Pharmacol. 29: 166-167
Chakrabarti, S. et al. (2005). J. Ethnopharmacol. 97: 117-122
Ghosh, R. et al. (2004). Indian J. Pharmacol. 36: 222-225
John, P. (2003). M.V.Sc. Thesis, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, 62p.
Uno, C.O. etal. (2004). Biol-Pharm. Bull. 27: 125-127
Maiti, R. et al. (2004). J. Ethnopharmacol. 92: 85-91
Raphel, K.R. et al. (2002). Indian J. Exp. BioI. 40: 905-909
Shirwaikar, A. etal. (2005). J. Ethnopharmacol. 97: 369-374
Singh, N. et al. (2005). Clin. Chim. Acta. 353: 165-175
Xie, J.T. et a1. (2003). Pharmacol. Res. 47: 323-329