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World J Exp Med. Mar 20, 2026; 16(1): 116252
Published online Mar 20, 2026. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v16.i1.116252
Published online Mar 20, 2026. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v16.i1.116252
Antidiabetic effects of Gymnema sylvestre and metformin co-therapy in a type 2 diabetic rat model
Ajay Kodiyatar, Vandana Roy, Niket Rai, Department of Pharmacology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi 110002, Delhi, India
Akhilesh Mishra, Central Animal Facility, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi 110002, Delhi, India
Megh Singh Dhakad, Department of Microbiology, State level Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi 110002, Delhi, India
Mirza Masroor Ali Beg, Faculty of Medicine, Alatoo International University, Bishkek 720048, Kyrgyzstan
Niket Rai, Department of Pharmacology, L N Medical College, Bhopal 462042, Madhya Pradesh, India
Author contributions: Kodiyatar A supported the study methodology, benchtop procedures and manuscript preparation; Mishra A was responsible for the conceptualization, hypothesis of the study, data collection, analysis, and manuscript drafting; Dhakad MS and Beg MMA assisted with the statistical analysis and data interpretation; Roy V provided supervision and contributed to the revision of the manuscript; Rai N supervised the overall research direction and provided oversight throughout the study.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: This study was conducted at the Central Animal Facility and Department of Pharmacology, Maulana Azad Medical College (New Delhi). This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals (Approval No. IAEC/MAMC/CAF/2023/03).
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE guidelines.
Data sharing statement: The authors confirm that all data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article. Additional datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Corresponding author: Niket Rai, MD, Head, Professor, Department of Pharmacology, L N Medical College, Sarvadharam C-Sector, Kolar Road, Bhopal 462042, Madhya Pradesh, India. rainiket26@gmail.com
Received: November 10, 2025
Revised: January 6, 2026
Accepted: February 14, 2026
Published online: March 20, 2026
Processing time: 129 Days and 14.3 Hours
Revised: January 6, 2026
Accepted: February 14, 2026
Published online: March 20, 2026
Processing time: 129 Days and 14.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This study evaluates the antidiabetic effects of Gymnema sylvestre (GS) alone and in combination with metformin in a high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model. The combination therapy improved glycemic control, lipid profile, renal parameters, and body weight compared with GS alone, although metformin remained superior. These findings support the potential role of GS as an adjunct to standard metformin therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.