ANTI-DIABETIC POTENTIAL OF HYPHAENE THEBAICA FRUIT IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

Complications of Diabetes mellitus caused by persistent hyperglycemia is a challenge in management of the disease as synthetic drugs used are often expensive, specific and associated with side effects. This study was aimed to determine the anti-diabetic potential of mesocarp extract of Hyphaene thebaica fruit in streptozotocin-induced Diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic effects of methanol, aqueous and ethylacetate extract of Hyphaene thebaica fruit oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were determined followed by the effects of the ethylacetate extract on body weight, blood glucose, liver and kidney. Glucose was fed to rats the 30 minutes after pretreatment with extract, followed by measurement of blood glucose levels at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 240 minutes to assess the effect of the extracts on blood glucose levels of the glucose loaded animals. The rats were also divided into six groups and treated ethylacetate extract daily by intragastric tube for four weeks. The result revealed the ethylacetate extract was more hypoglycemic in OGTT than the other extracts. There was a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in body weight of rats administered ethylacetate extract at 400 mg and 200 mg/kg body weight with significant (p < 0.05) decrease in blood glucose, AST, GGT, creatinine, and urea levels. Conclusively, H. thebaica can be used in the management of diabetes evident to its hypoglycemic effects and significant improvement in weight and hepato-renal function.