66EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECTS OF COSTUS SPICATUS LINN LEAVES EXTRACT IN STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETES IN ALBINO RATSThe present study investigates the antidiabetic effect of leaf extract of Costus spicatus on Streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. The rats treated with Streptozotocin showed a significant increased in glucose level and altered level of lipid profile, heamoglobin and insulin were observed. The mechanism underlying STZ hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus involves over-production (excessive hepatic glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis) and decreased utilization of glucose by the tissues. Twenty-eight days administration of ethanolic extract of leaf of the Costus spicatus (200 and 300mg/kg b.wt.) to diabetic ratsresulted in significant reduction in blood glucose level, restored heamoglobin, lipid profile and insulin as compared to diabetic rats. The present study suggests that the Costus spicatus leaves extracts had synergetic hypoglycemic effect revealed by decreased serum lipid levels, restored insulin, heamoglobin and therefore attribute to therapeutic value of the Costus spicatus extracts of leavesto combat the diabetic condition in rats. Among the two doses, 300mg/kg of Costus spicatus leaves extract possess potential antidiabetic activity.killainatarajan@yahoo.inResearch432014Costus spicatus,Diabetic,Streptozotocin,Lipid profile,GlucoseS.Bhuvaneswari,V. Umarani,S. NatarajanDepartment of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology (Gill Research Institute), Guru Nanak College, Velachery, Chennai-600 042, Tamilnadu, India.,Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology (Gill Research Institute), Guru Nanak College, Velachery, Chennai-600 042, Tamilnadu, India.,Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology (Gill Research Institute), Guru Nanak College, Velachery, Chennai-600 042, Tamilnadu, India.