Effect of the Ethanolic Extract of Chuquiraga weberbaueri Tovar on Glycemia in BALB/c Mice

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide and is associated with many complications. While there are many drugs available to control blood glucose levels, many people cannot access them due to economic reasons. Object: The aim of this study was to determine the hypoglycemic effect of the ethanolic extract of Chuquiraga weberbaueri in mice induced with hyperglycemia. Methods: The mice were divided into 6 groups: the first group served as a control group and was administered only physiological saline solution; the second group was induced to hyperglycemia with Alloxan. The following three groups were induced with Alloxan and additionally administered ethanolic extract of Chuquiraga weberbaueri at different concentrations of 100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg respectively. The last group was administered Alloxan and glibenclamide. The glucose levels were measured for each group at 2, 4, and 24 hours after administering the extracts. Results: The phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Chuquiraga weberbaueri showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and steroids. The ethanolic extracts (100 mg/kg at 2 hours and 250 mg/kg at 2 and 4 hours) demonstrated a decrease in blood glucose compared to the control group. In the toxicity test, the comparison between the control group and the “extract” treatment group showed that no conclusive results were observed with respect to the chuquiragua extract. Interpretation: The results of the study showed that the ethanolic extract of Chuquiraga weberbaueri showed the effect of reducing blood glucose in BALB/c mice.