Antidiabetic Potential of Kencur (Kaempferia galanga L.) Extract Supplemented with Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) as A Low-calorie Herbal Beverage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/jafost.v7i2.14592Keywords:
Antidiabetic, Blood glucose, Kencur, Stevia, StreptozotocinAbstract
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Indonesia continues to rise, making the search for alternative treatments urgent, including the utilization of Indonesian medicinal plants such as kencur and stevia. Stevia was utilized to support glucose regulation by enhancing insulin sensitivity and providing antioxidant protection without increasing the caloric load. This study aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of kencur-stevia extract. An in vivo design was used with Wistar rats induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Animals were allocated to the following groups: healthy control, STZ + saline, STZ + glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg body weight), and STZ + kencur-stevia extract at doses of 100, 150, and 200 mg/200 g body weight. Body weight (BW), blood glucose, hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Ht) were assessed on days 0, 2, 7, 14, 21, and 28. The results showed that the 150 mg/200 g dose most effectively maintained body-weight gain approaching the healthy control, whereas the 200 mg/200 g dose produced the greatest reduction in blood glucose compared to the diabetic control (245 mg/dL on day 28), showing comparable results to the glibenclamide group. Hematological indices showed minor fluctuations but remained relatively stable at the 200 mg/200 g dose. In conclusion, these preliminary findings indicate that kencur-stevia extract is a promising antidiabetic agent; the 200 mg/200 g dose is optimal for glycemic control, while the 150 mg/200 g dose is better for weight maintenance. This study contributes to the development of evidence-based herbal antidiabetic therapies by demonstrating the dose-dependent effects of a novel kencur-stevia extract combination on glycemic control.
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