Effects of aqueous leave extract of Ficus exasperata on pathophysiology and histopathogy of alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats

Abstract

The effects of treatment with aqeous extract of Ficus exasperata on the pathophysiology and histopathology in alloxan-induced diabetic rats was studied. Thirty rats divided into five treatment and one control groups (n = 5 rats each) were used for the study. Rats in the treatment groups were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg alloxan monohydrate. Diabetic groups were thereafter treated with 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, respectively of acqeous extract of F. exasperata, the fourth group was treated with 10 mg/kg glibenclamide, the last group was not treated after induction while the control (non-diabetic) group received distilled water. Hyperglycemia was recorded in all induced ratsafter alloxan induction, while treatment with the different concentrations of the plant extract reversed hyperglycemia within four days. Values of Packed cell volume (PCV),Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and Red blood cell count (RBC) were higher in rats treated with the extract than in rats treated with glibenclamide, while ionoregulatory distruptions observed in the diabetic groups reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in rats treated with the extract. Lipid profile parameters were higher in rats treated with glibenclamide compared to groups treated with the extract. Treatment with the plant extract ameliorated the various degenerations observed in the pancreas, liver and kidney in contrast to untreated group and group treated with glibenclamide. Results from this study demonstrated the ameliorative effects of acqeous leave extract of F. exasperata on the pathophysiological and histopathological complications of diabetes mellitus. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Ficus exasperata, pathophysiology, hispathology.