Scientists in West Bengal have claimed that the seeds of the big leaf mahogany tree could help treat diabetes naturally.

Local people of East Midnapore, West Bengal, use a crude concentrated extract of its seeds for diabetes treatment.
"In the animal model-based toxicity study, aqueous (water-based) extracts of the seeds were repeatedly given orally to groups of Wister albino rats for a period of 28 days, at levels of 0, 500, 1500 and 2000 mg per kg of body weight," says Utpal Raychaudhuri of the Jadavpur University.
According to the study published in 2012 in the Science and Culture Journal - a journal published by the Indian Science News Association - the extract did not produce any mortality in the animals even up to the dose level of 2,000 mg a kg.
Also, the results of various blood and biochemical tests were normal. Further no changes were noticed in the liver, intestine, heart, kidney and stomach of the animals.
According to the World Health Organization, diabetes mellitus or simply diabetes is a major metabolic disorder of recent time.
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Plant constituents with the ability to prevent diabetes-related complications provide an encouraging prospect, but it is of paramount importance to test them for any toxic effects.
The seeds of the big leaf mahogany may, therefore, be a potent non-toxic addition to the arsenal of safe natural products in the battle against diabetes.
Source-IANS