Abstract

• Mirabilis jalapa L. is locally known as Mye-su, Lay-nar-yi-pan, Marvel of Peru or Four o’clock flower and belongs to the family Nyctaginaceae. The plant samples were collected from Kamaryut Township, Yangon University Campus. In acute toxicity study of 70% ethanolic extract of Mirabilis jalapa L. were evaluated on albino mice by using method of OECD Guideline 423. There were no sign of toxicity and lethality of mice, even with the maximum dose at 5 g/kg body weight of the extract during the test period of 14 days. Therefore, 70% ethanolic extract of Mirabilis jalapa L. had no acute toxic effect up to the dose of 5 g/kg. The hypoglycaemic activity of 70% ethanolic extract was also studied on adrenaline-induced hyperglycaemic rats model by using the method of Gupta et al. (1967). In hypoglycaemic activity test on adrenaline-induced hyperglycaemic rats, the extract at the dose of 1 g/kg showed significant blood glucose lowering effect at 4 hrs (p<0.01), 2 g/kg at 3 hrs (p<0.005) and 4 hrs (p<0.001) and 4 g/kg at 2 hrs, 3hrs and 4 hrs (p<0.001) when compared with the control. It was found that 4 g/kg of 70% ethanolic extract showed the most effective hypoglycaemic activity among 3 doses of the extract.