Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. Leaves on Body Weight and Hyperglycemia of Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Moringa oleifera is cognizant locally as mungai in Malaysia and commonly used traditionally. Therefore, the 14-day study was conducted on STZ-induced diabetic rats to evaluate the effect of 95% ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves on body weight, hyperglycemia and lipids. Group-I was negative diabetic control, received distilled water (10 ml/kg bw). Metformine (500 mg/kg bw) treated group-II was specified as positive control while group-III to VI received leaves extract with variable doses (1000, 500, 250, 125 mg/kg bw orally). In multiple dose experiment, the blood glucose and body weight monitoring was executed at day 0, 7 and 14 while in single dose at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 h. At the end of treatment, animals were sacrificed and blood was collected through cardiac puncture for lipid profile. The acute and sub-chronic treatment exhibited highly significant (p<0.01) fall in blood glucose at 500 and 1000 mg/kg dose and 25.8% decline in body weight was observed. The treated group also offered reduction in total cholesterol (p<0.01), triglycerides (p<0.05) and low density lipoprotein (p<0.01). It also appeared that by reducing the dose of extract, both the antihyperglycemic and loss of body weight decreases in treated groups. It can be recommended in obese diabetic patients to prevent macrovascular complication pertinent to body weight and lipids.