Diabetes is a chronic disorder marked by hyperglycemia due to insulin resistance and insufficient insulin action, or both. Synthetic antidiabetic drugs available on the market are associated with severe effects, necessitating the need for alternative antidiabetic drugs. This investigation aimed to determine the antidiabetic potential and phytochemical profiles of aqueous and ethanol seed extracts of Cucurbita maxima. The seeds of C. maxima were airdried, milled, and extracted using distilled water and ethanol. The antidiabetic effect of the extracts was performed using Wistar rats weighing 160-180 g. Thirty-five rats were assigned to 7 groups: non-diabetic (control), diabetic, glibenclamide-treated, and aqueous or ethanol extract-treated (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight). Alloxan monohydrate was used to induce experimental diabetes. The treatments were orally administered for 28 days. Blood glucose levels and histopathological analysis were performed. The phytochemical screening was conducted utilizing liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In diabetic rats, the effects of the two extracts revealed a substantial reduction in levels of fasting blood glucose in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting an antidiabetic effect. The histopathological analysis revealed the restoration of pancreatic β-cells by the extracts. The LC-MS analysis identified phytocompounds in the extracts belonging to classes of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and fatty acids that are associated with antidiabetic effects. Interestingly, the ethanol extract had a better antidiabetic effect compared to the aqueous extract. In conclusion, the aqueous and ethanol extracts of C. maxima seed possess phytocompounds that can be used to develop novel antidiabetic agents with less severe effects.
Key words: Antidiabetic, Cucurbita maxima, phytochemicals, diabetes
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