INTRODUCTION
Lagerstroemia speciosa (Lythraceae), called as banaba, is a native of
Philippines. Leaves of it have been traditionally used over thousands
of years as folklore treatment by the native Indians and more recently
used by the Japanese, mostly as tea preparation. Banaba leaves has the
ability to reduce blood sugar level and its “Insulin like principle” made
it popular herbal decoction and with others in many formulations for
controlling blood sugar and weight loss [1].
Lagerstroemia speciosa have been previously reported to have
hypoglycemic activity by reducing fasting blood glucose of
streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats. Apart from hypoglycemic
activity [2‐6] banaba leaf also possess antioxidant [7], antiinflammatory
[8], anti‐obesity [9], anti‐fibrotic [10], anti‐bacterial [11]
properties. Researchers have carefully studied the use of
nutrientional supplements in the treatment of diabetes such as
vitamins C and E, dietary minerals and herbs can safely lowers the
blood sugar and help to prevent the diabetic complications [12‐15].
From the literature review, the present work has been designed to
detect the metals present in Lagerstroemia speciosa.