Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Evaluation and identification of some new natural molecules with antidiabetic property have become one of the major preludes of present day diabetic research. Although few marine natural products are currently in the market or in the clinical trials, marine organisms still remains the greatest unexploited source of potential pharmaceuticals. Because of the unusual diversity of chemical structures isolated from marine organisms, there is intense interest in screening marine natural products for their biomedical potential. Over 300 marine organisms including flora and fauna were collected at the Institute and extracted with methanol. Their extracts were evaluated for blood glucose lowering effect. The present study reports activity profile of 30marine flora/fauna evaluated in sucrose loaded rat model. Among the marine flora , extracts of Dolichandrone, Amoora cuculata, Chaetomorpha torta, Lumnitzera racemosa, Barringtonia racemosa and Excoecaria agallocha Microciona aceratoobtusa and mollusc Scapharca inaequivalvis at 250 mg/kg body weight dose showed slight but insignificant lowering in the blood glucose post sucrose load in normal rats, whereas, the extract of Cynometra ramiflora showed significant inhibition at the same dose . Among the marine fauna the extracts of soft coral Lobophytum pauciflorum, Sarcophyton glaucum and the extracts of sponge Sigmadocia pumila, showed a little but insignificant lowering in blood glucose post sucrose load in normal rats at 250 mg/kg body weight dose.

Keywords: Antihyperglycaemic activity, marine flora, marine fauna, oral glucose tolerance test.