SUMMARY
Topicality. Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases. Among the methods of diabetes treating, phytotherapy occupies the remarkable place. Phytoproducts, as an alternative to synthetic drugs, are becoming increasingly popular due to the ability to exhibit multi-vector effects on the organism of the patient and to act in a complex manner.The aim of the study was to investigate the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activity of Citrullus colocynthis dry extract, as a representative of medicinal plants with antidiabetic action.Materials and methods. Hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant activity of C. colocynthis extract was investigated on Wistar rats with the model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The plant extract was administered at doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, a reference drug “Arphazetyn” at a dose of 18 ml/kg for 28 days. The level of glucose was determined at the beginning and at the end of the experiment, the parameters of lipid (cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL, HDL) and oxidative homeostasis (malonic dialdehyde, catalase, superoxidedismutase) – on the last day of the study.Results and discussion. It has been established that C. colocynthis extract exhibits dose-dependent hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. The most pronounced activity the plant extract exhibits at a dose of 100 mg/kg: lowers blood glucose levels as well as elevated parameters of lipid metabolism and increases the level of HDL. At a dose of 100 mg/kg it increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thereby reducing the level of malonic dialdehyde. The reference drug is inferior to the effectiveness of the C. colocynthis extract for all of these parameters.Conclusions. According to results of the study, C. colocynthis extract has hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects.