Centaurea damascena in alloxan-induced diabetes in rats

We examined the effect of treatment of alloxan-diabetic rats with a lyophilised extract of Centaurea damascena Bioss. (family Compositae), a plant that is reputed in certain parts of the Middle East to have an antidiabetic effect. Its effect was compared with those of the conventional oral hypoglycaemic drug glibenclamide (10 mg kg^-1). The plasma glucose concentrations of diabetic rats treated orally with the plant extract (0.5, 1 or 2 g kg^-1) were not significantly different from the controls. Also, the plasma glucose level did not differ from that of the controls in rats given the extract (2 g kg^-1), and killed 0.5, 2 or 3 h after treatment with the plant extract. Glibenclamide was effective in significantly reducing the alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia.