25

Effects of Bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb Juice in Hampering

Blood Glucose in Rat Models
Adrian Dwiputra Widyarman1, Emma Nurdiamah2, Nanny Natalia Muliani Soetedjo3
1
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
2
Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran,
3
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran/Dr Hasan Sadikin
General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

Background : The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Indonesia tends to increase and is predicted to reach
21.3 millions in 2030. Bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb. is one of the traditional medicine frequently
used in diabetes treatment.The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of bengkoang juice in
hampering blood glucose increase.
Methods : Fourty alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats were used in this study. After 16 hours of fasting,
the blood glucose was measured using glucometer EasyTouch Blood Glucose/Cholesterol/Uric Acid Multi-
Function Monitoring System. The positive control group was given 7 ml of distilled water and 50% glucose
solution with 2.5 g/kg dosage while the study group were given 7 ml of bengkoang juice and 50% glucose
solution with 2.5 g/kg dosage. Blood glucose was re-checked after 2 hours. This procedure was performed
in October 2012.The results were analyzed using Student’s T-test with α = 0.05.
Results : The result shows a significant difference in blood glucose increase between the control and study
groups with a score of 121.11 mg/dL and 324.45 mg/dL respectively. This result shows that bengkoang
juice increases blood glucose level in Wistar rats.
Conclusions: In conclusion, bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb. juice has no effect in hampering the
blood glucose level increase in Wistar rats. [AMJ.2014;1(1):25–9]

Keywords: Alloxan, blood glucose, diabetes mellitus, Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb.

Pengaruh Bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb Juice dalam

Menghambat Glukosa Darah pada Tikus
Abstrak

Latar Belakang: Prevalensi diabetes mellitus di Indonesia cenderung meningkat dan diperkirakan mencapai
21,3 juta pada tahun 2030. Bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus ( L ) Urb adalah salah satu obat tradisional yang
sering digunakan untuk pengobatan diabetes. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menilai efektivitas jus
bengkoang dalam menghambat peningkatan glukosa darah.
Metode: Empat puluh tikus Wistar yang telah diinduksi diabetes aloksan digunakan dalam penelitian ini.
Setelah 16 jam puasa, glukosa darah diukur dengan menggunakan glucometer Glukosa Darah EasyTouch /
Kolesterol/Asam Urat Monitoring System Multi- Function. Kelompok kontrol positif diberi 7 ml air suling
dan larutan glukosa 50 % dengan 2,5 g / kg dosis sedangkan kelompok studi diberi 7 ml jus bengkoang dan
larutan glukosa 50 % dengan 2,5 g / kg dosis . Glukosa darah diperiksa kembali setelah 2 jam. Prosedur ini
dilakukan pada hasil Oktober 2012 dianalisis menggunakan T -test Student dengan α = 0,05.
Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan dalam peningkatan glukosa darah antara
kelompok kontrol dan kelompok studi dengan skor 121.11 mg / dL dan 324,45 mg / dL masing-masing .
Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa jus bengkoang meningkatkan kadar glukosa darah pada tikus Wistar .
Simpulan: Bengkoang ( Pachyrhizus erosus ( L ) Urb jus tidak berpengaruh dalam menghambat kenaikan
kadar glukosa darah pada tikus Wistar .

Kata kunci: Aloksan , glukosa darah , diabetes mellitus , Pachyrhizus erosus ( L ) Urb.

Correspondence: Adrian Dwiputra Widyarman, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jalan Raya Bandung-
Sumedang Km.21, Jatinangor, Sumedang, Indonesia, Phone: +6281298004423, Email: [email protected]

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26 AMJ June, 2014

Introduction herbal medicine may cause allergic reactions

or interact with other drugs.7 One of the
herbal medicines used in for diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease treatment is bengkoang.
which is characterized by hyperglycemia Bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb is a
caused by insufficient insulin production, plant in Fabaceae family.8 This plant originates
decreased insulin effectiveness, or both.1 from Mexico and have spread to several
Diabetes mellitus is divided into several countries, including Indonesia.9 The plant
types, one of them is diabetes mellitus type 2 consists of stem, leaf, flower, fruit, root, and
where the hyperglycemia is caused by insulin tuber. The leaf’s shape is varied and almost
resistance.1 all parts of this plant are covered by fine hair
The classic symptoms of diabetes mellitus except the flower.10 The tuber can weigh up to
are polyuria, thirst, recurrent blurred vision, 2 kg.
paresthesia, and fatigue. However, most of the The tuber has many nutritional contents
diabetic patients have an insidious onset of that are good for the body such as carbohydrate,
hyperglycemia and appeared asymptomatic. protein, low fat, calcium, magnesium,
The disease is usually detected during phosphor, and several vitamins.10 The sweet
routine laboratory studies.1 The morbidity taste comes from carbohydrates such as
and mortality rate of diabetes mellitus is glucose, fructose, sucrose, and inulin.15 Inulin
staggering. Diabetes mellitus is a disease with is also frequently used as glucose substitute
many dangerous complications such as renal in diabetic patient and dieting people.11 The
disease, eye disease, nerve disease, heart tuber also contains a poisonous substance
disease, and stroke that lead to high financial called rotenone which is frequently used as an
expenditure.2 insecticide, but this substance is only found in
Around 346 million people worldwide have a very small amount.10
diabetes mellitus. In 2004, it was estimated Bengkoang tuber is usually eaten12 or used
that there were 3.4 million deaths caused as cosmetic ingredient for skin whitening or
by diabetes mellitus and this number will sunblock.13 It also has been used empirically
increase two-fold by 2030.3 In Indonesia, the to treat diabetes mellitus in the form of
number of diabetes mellitus patients will bengkoang tuber’s juice which is consumed in
reach 21.3 millions by 2030.4 This estimation the morning and before sleep.14 This effect is
makes diabetes mellitus one of the world’s most likely caused by the inulin in the tuber
important health problems because diabetes juice that have low caloric value and has the
and its complication have a big impact to the effect of hampering glucose absorption in the
economic and health sectors.3 In order to intestines.11
prevent the complication and to increase the The purpose of this study is to confirm the
quality of life of the patient, a good treatment effect of bengkoang juice in hampering blood
method for diabetes mellitus is needed. glucose increase in wistar strain rats.
Currently, the treatment for diabetes
mellitus type 2 depends on diet programs to
prevent hyperglycemia and drugs to decrease Methods
the hyperglycemia, such as sulphonylurea,
metformin, and biguanide. However, This study used a laboratory experiment
these drugs have several side effects such design and the subjects were male and female
as hypoglycemia, body weight increase, Wistar strain rats, weighed 150–200 gram,
gastrointestinal disturbance, and anemia5. and were around 3 months of age.
Diet programs are also not effective because Bengkoang tubers (Pachyrhizus erosus (L)
more than half of the diabetes mellitus patients Urb were acquired from Subang, West Java.
fail to adhere to the program1. This situation The plant species identification is done by the
leads to frequent use of herbal medicine by Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics
diabetes mellitus patients.6 and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran.
Herbal medicine or phytomedicine is The bengkoang juice was made by following
a treatment method using one or several the traditional method. The tuber was washed
parts of a plant. This method has already first using clean water, peeled, and grated. The
been used since ages ago along with grated tuber was squeezed and filtered to get
conventional treatment. The herbal medicine the juice. The amount given was 7 ml based on
use has increased during the last 30 years. the converted calculation using the conversion
Nevertheless, a consultation with a physician table based on the human dose. The juice was
before using it is recommended because

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 Adrian Dwiputra Widyarman, Emma Nurdiamah, Nanny Natalia Muliani Soetedjo: Effects of Bengkoang 27
(Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb Juice in Hampering Blood Glucose in Rat Models

given orally. Table 1 Blood Glucose Level Group 1 (Non-

The glucose was given to induce blood diabetic)
glucose increase so the bengkoang juice Blood Glucose Level (mg/dL)
effect in hampering blood glucose increase
could be assessed. Glucose was given in the Fasting 2 Hours post- Increase
solution form at 50% concentration and prandial
2.5 g/kg dose. The glucose was given orally. 95 106 11
Alloxan was given in the solution form at 5% 107 147 40
concentration and 125 mg/kg dose. Alloxan
was given subcutaneously. 95 125 30
The wistar rats were kept in a standard 106 101 -5
cage for 1 week prior to study with free access
90 130 40
to standard food and water. The rats were
randomly divided into three groups. Diabetes 110 183 73
was induced in 2 groups using 5% alloxan 95 145 50
solution at 125 mg/kg dose after 16 hours
of fasting with free access to water. After 48 106 116 10
hours the fasting blood glucose level was 84 95 11
checked through blood sampling from the tail 87 135 48
vein. The sample was obtained by cutting the
tip of the tail. The blood samples were tested Mean 97.5 128.3 30.8
using glucose test strip and glucometer,
EasyTouch Blood Glucose/Cholesterol/
Uric Acid Multi-Function Monitoring System glucose level. This procedure was performed
(EasyTouch GCU), and rats with fasting a in October 2012.
blood glucose level greater than 100 mg/dl The results were expressed as Mean. The
were included in the study. data were analyzed using Student’s T-test
Group 1 with non-diabetic rats were given with α = 0.05 to see the differences of blood
7 ml of distilled water and glucose solution glucose increase between the positive control
as the negative control group. Group 2 with group and the study group.
diabetic rats were given 7 ml of distilled water
and glucose solution as the positive control
group. Group 3 with diabetic rats were given Results
7 ml of bengkoang juice and glucose solution
as the study group. The mean increase of blood glucose level is
After 2 hours, the blood glucose level was 121.11 mg/dL which is higher compared to
re-checked using the glucose test strip and Group 1 (Non-diabetic group / normal rats)
glucometer as 2 hour post-prandial blood (Table 2).

Table 2 Blood Glucose Level Group 2 (Diabetic not given Bengkoang Juice)
Blood Glucose Level (mg/dL)
Fasting 2 Hours post-prandial Increase
560 700 140
167 250 83
325 524 199
515 700 185
295 125 -170
321 414 93
506 700 194
190 566 466
135 125 -10
Mean 334.89 456 121.11

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28 AMJ June, 2014

Table 3 Blood Glucose Level Group 3 (Diabetic given Bengkoang Juice)

Blood Glucose Level (mg/dL)
Fasting 2 Hours post-prandial Increase
196 700 504
295 541 246
401 700 299
506 700 194
116 700 584
286 484 198
246 600 354
243 566 323
90 406 316
325 700 375
524 700 176
Mean 293.45 617.9 324.45

The mean increase of blood glucose level is above, it can be concluded that bengkoang
324.45 mg/dL which is even higher compared juice have no effect in hampering blood glucose
to Group 2 (Table 3). increase in Wistar rats.
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 Adrian Dwiputra Widyarman, Emma Nurdiamah, Nanny Natalia Muliani Soetedjo: Effects of Bengkoang 29
(Pachyrhizus erosus (L) Urb Juice in Hampering Blood Glucose in Rat Models

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