EFFECT OF MOMORDICA CHARANTIA AND SYZYGIUM CUMINI EXTRACT ON SERUM ELECTROLYTES IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Objective: Diabetes is a group of disorders characterized by high blood glucose levels. Disturbances in serum electrolytes like sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) are found in diabetes. The purpose of the study was to investigate the disturbances in concentrations of serum electrolytes in hyperglycemic crisis and the effect of syzygium cumini and momordica charantia standardized aqueous extracts on serum electrolytes (Na+and K+) in normal and diabetic rats.Methods: Diabetes is induced by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan at a dose of 120 mg/kg b. w in rats. Rats were divided into 5 groups (normal control, disease control, metformin, test 1 and test 2). In test groups 1 and 2, SASESC (standardized aqueous seed extract of syzygium cumini) and SAFEMC (standardized aqueous fruit extract of momordica charantia) were respectively administered orally to alloxan induced diabetic rats, and their serum electrolyte levels were observed at 1st, 4th, 7th and 14th days.Results: By the 14thday, the Na+ and K+ levels in groups 4 and 5 were almost normal. However, in group 3 (standard), Na+levels were relatively lower and K+ levels were relatively higher than groups 4 and 5 (test). In group 2 (disease control) as compared to group 1 (normal control), a decrease in Na+ and increase in K+ levels was observed even on day 14.Conclusion: Treatment with anti diabetic drugs like metformin, syzygium cumini (test-1), momordica charantia (test-2) restored the electrolyte levels almost back to normal over a period of study (14 d). There was significant (**P<0.01, *P<0.05) normalization of electrolyte levels in diabetic rats. It was concluded that syzygium cumini and momordica charantia showed better efficiency in restoring the electrolyte imbalance as compared to metformin during our study.