Preventive Role of Zingiber Officinale against Hyperglycemia in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

The experimental animal study was undertaken to investigate the preventive role ginger juice against hyperglycemia in alloxan induced diabetic rats.Male wistar rats,(130-150)gm wt fed on standard diet and water ad libitum, were divided into 3 groups(n=6) in each group: Group-L non-diabetic control group, Group-II, diabetic control & Group-III, normal rats pretreated with ginger before they were made diabetics. Diabetes was induced by inj. alloxan 150mg/kg body wt.,tp (Group-IL on 2nd day & Group-Ill, on the 9th day).Rats having blood glucose level of more than 7mmol/L on day 5(72 hours after alloxan inj) were considered diabetic & selected for experiment. Rats of Group-Ill received Zingiber officinale (ginger juice) (4m1/kg.body,wt orally) for 7 days (day 2-day8) through Pyles tube before alloxan induction & 3days after the induction. On day 12, animals were sacrificed under light ether anaesthesia, blood was collected by cardiac puncture for blood glucose estimation. Pretreatment with Zingiber officinale (ginger) juice significantly (p<0.01) reduced alloxan induced hyperglycemia.Zingiber officinale (ginger) is one of the most widely used spices and is reputed to have medicinal properties against diabetes mellitus. This study suggests that pretreatment with Zingiber officinale(ginger) prevents the development of hyperglycemia in alloxan induced diabetic rats.