Antihyperglycemic Potential of Butterfly Pea Leaf (Clitoria ternatea) Extract in Alloxan‐Induced ICR Mice

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antihyperglycemic potential of the hydromethanolic extract of Butterfly pea leaf in alloxan‐induced ICR mice.Thirty female ICR mice were grouped into six: normal, diabetic, positive control groups and three experimental groups treated with varying dosages of Butterfly pea leaf extract (100 mg/kg. b.w., 250 mg./kg b.w., and 500 mg/lg b.w.). All groups, except the normal control received alloxan monohydrate (200mg/kg b.w.) to induce diabetes. ICR mice were gavaged with their respective treatment’s once daily for 14 days and blood samples were collected weekly for the determination of blood glucose levels. On the 14th day, ICR mice were sacrificed and pancreases were extracted for histopathological examination.The administration of Butterfly pea leaf extract on alloxan‐induced ICR mice elicited a blood glucose lowering activity throughout the course of the experiment. The 500 mg/kg dose of the extract exhibited the highest percent blood glucose reduction at the two time intervals (69.79% and 81.92%). The three varying dosages of the extract showed statistically no difference (P>0.05) when compared with the positive control group/ Histopathological examination of pancreas reported no significant difference (P>0.05) in the pancreatic damage between the Butterfly pea leaves treated groups and the diabetic control group, thus may suggest a different mechanism of action responsible for the antihyperglycemic activity of Butterfly pea leaves . The above results may propose that leaf extract is a potential candidate as an antihyperglycemic agent.Support or Funding InformationResearch Institute for Tropical Medicine Veterinary Research Department, Alabang Muntinlupa City, Philippines; De La Salle University Laboratory Animal Research Center, Dasmarinas Campus, Philippines and Department of Education, Quezon City, Philippines