antidiabetic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of afghan withania coagulans in diabetic rats

Background: diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent endocrine disorder globally, responsible for approximately four million deaths each year and presenting significant health and socio-economic challenges. traditional herbal medicine has utilized various plant species for managing blood glucose levels and associated complications. we investigated the effects of afghan withania coagulans, a medicinal plant known for its bioactive compounds, on blood glucose levels in a diabetic rat model. methods: the experiment was conducted at the research and technology center of khatam-al-nabeien university (knurtc), kabul, afghanistan. thirty rats were divided into five groups: a vehicle control, a diabetic group, and three groups treated with w. coagulans extract, obtained via hydroalcoholic extraction. diabetes was induced using a single intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin (stz). fasting blood glucose levels were measured on days 0 and 21 using a glucometer. results: stz significantly elevated blood glucose levels in the diabetic group compared to the vehicle control. notably, the w. coagulans extract-treated groups demonstrated a substantial reduction in blood glucose levels compared to the diabetic group (p<0.001). conclusion: the presence of active constituents in w. coagulans such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, coumarins, tannins, proteins, amino acids, and withanolides suggests a potential mechanism for its hypoglycemic effects. this study enhances our understanding of w. coagulans as a promising candidate for diabetes management.