Evaluation of in vivo hypoglycemic potential of 4-ethyloxychalcone in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

The presently available therapies for type 2 diabetes have not been able to achieve normoglycemic status in a majority of the patients which may be either due to the limitations of the drug itself or its side effects. In an effort to develop potent and safe oral antidiabetic agents, 4-ethyloxychalcone, which was found to be the most potent antiglycating agent in our previous study, has been evaluated for its in vivo hypoglycemic activity using an alloxanized diabetic rat model. The diabetes was induced in rats by injection of intraperitoneal alloxan. However, the oral route was used for the administration of 4-ethyloxychalcone. A significant glucose-lowering effect (P < 0.05) comparable with the standard glibenclamide has been observed for 4-ethyloxychalcone in an oral glucose tolerance test. 4-Ethyloxychalcone also produced a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in fasting blood glucose levels during the 42 days of treatment. Furthermore, a significant lowering (P < 0.05) of glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1C ) level was also shown by 4-ethyloxychalcone after 42 days of treatment. Thus, 4-ethyloxychalcone might be regarded as a potential hypoglycemic agent that can act as a platform for the development of future antidiabetic drugs.