Abstract

The global diabetes situation is alarming. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there were 6.7 million diabetes-related deaths in 2023. Recently, the use of teas containing medicinal extracts, including Hibiscus tea (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.), to help prevent, support, and manage the disease has become increasingly popular. This study aimed to investigate the hypoglycemic potential of HIBISCUS GTEA tea bags provided by the Faculty of Pharmacy, Nguyen Tat Thanh University. Diabetes was induced in Swiss mice through intraperitoneal injection of Albino alloxan. After 72 h, mice with blood glucose levels exceeding 239 mg/dL were selected for further experimentation. Mice with confirmed hyperglycemia were then divided into two groups: a negative control group (receiving distilled water) and a treatment group (receiving tea at a dose equivalent to 1000 mg/day in humans). Blood glucose concentration and body weight were monitored and recorded weekly. The results showed that administration of tea at a maximum dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight produced no signs of acute toxicity in the mice. Subchronic toxicity studies at two dose levels revealed no changes in general condition, hematopoietic function, liver function, or kidney structure throughout the study period. The hyperglycemia model demonstrated success rates of 16.7% at a dose of 150 mg/kg and 54.17% at 200 mg/kg. Blood glucose levels in the treatment group decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the negative control group. Overall, the findings indicate that HIBISCUS GTEA tea bags are safe and exhibit no acute or short-term repeated-dose toxicity in experimental animals. The tea preparation exhibited a significant hypoglycemic effect at a dose equivalent to 235.2 mg/kg/day in mice.