Pharmacognostic and Pharmacological Screening of Tamarindus indica Seed in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Tamarindus indica, commonly known as tamarind, is a versatile tropical tree that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine due to its numerous therapeutic properties. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive pharmacognostic and pharmacological evaluation of Tamarindus indica seeds to ascertain their medicinal potential. The pharmacognostic evaluation involved macroscopic of the seeds. The seeds were observed for their morphology and phytochemical evaluation; various solvent extracts of Tamarindus indica seeds were prepared using increasing polarity solvents, including petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol, ethyl acetate and water. The extracts were screened for the presence of secondary metabolites using standard qualitative tests. Quantitative estimation of leading phytoconstituents, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, saponins, tannins, and glycosides, was performed using established methods.  In the present study, Ethanolic extract of seed of Tamarindus indica Linn. was found to have potentiated antidiabetic activity that reduces blood glycemic index in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male rats. Supplementation of this Ethanolic extract by gavage at the dose of 80 mg/0.5 ml distilled water/100 g body weight per day in STZ-induced diabetic rats significantly lowered fasting blood sugar level after 7 days. Continuous treatment of this extract for 14 days resulted in no significant difference in this parameter from the control level. Moreover, this treatment significantly elevated liver and skeletal muscle glycogen content; in conclusion, this study's pharmacognostic evaluation provided valuable botanical information; the phytochemical analysis demonstrated that the seeds contain a diverse range of bioactive compounds, suggesting their potential medicinal value.