The claim by Nigerian traditional herbal medicine practitioners that
Ocimum gratissimum leaves have antidiabetic properties was
investigated. Diabetes mellitus was induced with streptozotocin and
graded doses of the aqueous leaf extract were administered orally to
the experimentally diabetic rats for 28 days. Administration of the
aqueous leaf extract caused a statistically significant reduction in
plasma glucose level in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. The
extract appeared nontoxic as evidenced by normal serum levels of AST,
ALT, ALP, TPT, ALB and bilirubin. These data appear to agree with
claimed hypoglycaemic effects of Ocimum gratissimum
