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Background: Xanthium indicum stem is used in folk medicine of Bangladesh to control sugar in diabetic patients and to alleviate pain. The objective of the study was to evaluate antihyperglycemic and antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of Xanthium indicum stems (XISE) in mice. Methods: Antihyperglycemic activity was measured by oral glucose tolerance tests in glucose-loaded Swiss albino mice. Antinociceptive activity was determined by observed decreases in abdominal constrictions in acetic acid-induced gastric pain model in mice. Results: The methanol extract of stems showed dose-dependent and statistically significant antihyperglycemic activity at doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight (p values, respectively, < than 0.01, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.01). Highest reduction in blood glucose level (31.2%) was observed with the highest dose (400 mg) of the extract. A standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, reduced blood glucose levels by 46.2%, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight. In antinociceptive activity tests, the extract when administered at the afore-mentioned four doses, reduced the number of abdominal constrictions in mice, respectively, by 41.7, 50.0, 54.2, and 61.0%. In comparison, a standard antinociceptive drug, aspirin, when administered at a dose of 200 mg per kg body weight, reduced the number of abdominal constrictions by 37.5%. Conclusion: The experimental results obtained in the present study validate the use of X. indicum stems in folk medicines of Bangladesh to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients and to alleviate pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing in Bangladeshi population. However, the prevalence of glucose intolerance, i.e. type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose is considerably unknown in the population. Aim: The main aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of different categories of glucose intolerance and their anthropometric and demographic characteristics. Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in a rural area of Bangladesh. A random sample of 5000 population aged ≥20 years was included in this study. Fasting blood glucose from 3981 individuals and 2-h blood glucose was measured on 3954 subjects, excluding known diabetic cases (n =27). Height, weight, waist and hip circumference and blood pressure were measured. Results: The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes (DM) was 1.3%, 2.0% and 7.0%, respectively. IFG, IGT and IFG+IGT were more prevalent in females. Age showed significant positive relationship with increasing level of glucose intolerance. Body mass index, waist circumference and waist to hip ratio were higher in glucose-intolerant group than normal glucose tolerance (NGT) group. FBG and 2-h BG were correlated in NGT and DM subjects. Conclusion: The FBG value identified more people with glucose intolerance compared to 2-h BG estimation. These findings demanded further studies in urban and rural populations for the development of preventive strategy for diabetes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]