|
Evaluation of
hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects of aqueous
ethanolic extracts of Treculia africana Decne and
Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam. and their mixture on streptozotocin
(STZ)-induced diabetic rats
Ogbonnia Steve O.1*, Odimegwu Joy I.1
and Enwuru Veronica N.2
1Department
of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, College of Medicine,
University of Lagos, Idi araba Lagos, Nigeria.
2Department
of PharmMicrobiology and PharmTechnology, Faculty of
Pharmacy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi
araba Lagos, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author.
E-mail:
steveogbonnia@hotmail.com. Tel: 08027714373.
Accepted
9 July, 2008 |
|
The plants Treculia africana and Bryophyllum
pinnatum are ethnobotanically used in the treatment of
various diseases including diabetes and heart diseases.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by
hyperglycaemia, and hyperlipidaemia which leads to an
increased risk of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular
diseases. The effects of aqueous ethanol (80%) extracts of
T. africana leaves and B. pinnatum plants and
their mixture, in an equal proportion, were evaluated on
postprandial glycaemic status. Three groups of normal rats
were treated with the extracts and their mixture (1:1), at a
dose of 500 mg/kg body weight and then charged with glucose
(40%) at a dose of 1 ml/100 g body weight. Plasma sugar
contents were analyzed from the blood collected from the
tail vein at 30, 60 and 120 min intervals. Also glycaemic
status and serum lipid profiles of normal and streptozotocin-induced
diabetic rats were evaluated. Three groups of streptozotocin-induced
diabetic (50 mg/kg ip) rats were treated with the extracts
and the (1:1) mixture at a dose of 500 mg/kg, respectively
for 21 days. A significant reduction (p≤0.05) in both
postprandial and STZ-induced diabetes blood glucose levels,
triglyceride levels, low density lipoprotein (LDL) level,
and increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) level were
observed. This scientific finding supports the basis for the
herbal use of T. africana and B. pinnatum in
the management of diabetes and heart diseases.
Key
words:
Treculia africana, Bryophyllum pinnatum,
hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia,
streptozotocin, cardiovascular diseases. |
