Hypoglycaemic Effects ofOpuntia ficus-indica Mill.,Opuntia lindheimeri Engelm andOpuntia robusta Wendl. in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

The hypoglycaemic activities of Opuntia ficus-indica, O. lindheimeri and O. robusta were investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats using enteral (oral) and parenteral (intraperitoneal and intravenous) routes of administration. When the aqueous extracts of the three Opuntia species were administred intraveneously, they produced a hypoglycaemic effect. However, when the extracts were administered orally, only O. lindheimeri produced a hypoglycaemic effect. A dilute aqueous (ammonium sulphate) solution of O. lindheimeri dialysate also produced a hypoglycaemic effect when administered intravenously. Intraperitoneal administations of all Opuntia species extracts including O. lindheimeri dialysate failed to produce hypoglycaemic effects. It appears that the concentration and/or potency of the active hypoglycaemic principle in Opuntia cacti is species-specific.