Background: The present study was designed with the aim of minimizing the incorporation of the drugs in a polyherbal antidiabetic formulation so the load of the drugs to the patient can be avoided and also helps in standardization. Materials and Methods: Molecular docking-based screening of potential herbal leads of M. charantia, (Drug A), G. sylvestre, (Drug B) and W. somnifera, (Drug C) were performed with intent to prioritize the ratio of herbal extracts. Lyophilised hydro-alcohol (50%) extracts of above three drugs were combined in different ratios as HA: Hydroalcoholic extracts combination A, HB: Hydroalcoholic extracts combination B and HC: Hydroalcoholic extracts combination C. The study of 21 days, carried out on alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats to compare its anti-diabetic effect with the marketed herbal formulation (MHF). The biochemical parameters studied were serum glucose level, lipid profile and liver glycogen content along with the body weight measurement. Results: The proposed Hydroalcoholic extracts combination B (HB, 1000 mg/kg per oral) possess antihyperglycemic effect with improvement in the abnormal lipid profile as observed in the diabetic experimental animals. Moreover, the formulation also reported check on the loss of body weight when compared with untreated diabetic rats. The observations were found to be at par with standard drug, metformin (500 mg/kg). Conclusion: Our findings suggest the proposed formulation have antihyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidimic potentials. Furthermore, its effect on chronic diabetes and its complications is needed to be explored. Based on the docking results it has been clearly indicated that the antidiabetic effect of the used herbal extract is because of the presence of Withanolide-A and Charantin.
Keywords: Diabetes, Polyherbal formulation, Metformin, Docking, Charantin, Withanolide.
