Effects of crude extracts and fractions of Moringa stenopetala (Baker f) Cufodontis leaves in normoglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic mice

Abstract

Moringa stenopetala leaves are traditionally employed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Ethiopia. Previous studies confirmed that the aqueous crude extract of the leaves of this plant and fractions isolated from these extracts have hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effects. Whether the active components are also present in the ethanol extract and its fractions, however, have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of M. stenopetala leaves ethanol crude extracts and its fractions in healthy and alloxan induced diabetic mice. For single dose hypoglycemic test, normoglycemic mice were given 300 mg/kg of ethanol extract, aqueous extract, petroleum fraction, chloroform fraction, butanol fraction, aqueous residue, glibenclamide (0.66 mg/kg) and distilled water (10 ml/kg) intraperitoneally (i.p). Similarly, for single dose anti-hyperglycemic study, alloxan induced diabetic mice were given the same dose of test substances. For the repeated dose anti-hyperglycemic investigation, diabetic mice were given 300 mg/kg of ethanol extract, aqueous extract, chloroform fraction, butanol fraction, glibenclamide (0.66 mg/kg)) and distilled water (10 ml/kg) through i.p route. The results of single dose hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic studies indicated that extracts, chloroform fraction, butanol fraction and aqueous residue reduced blood glucose level significantly within the treatment period. The repeated dose of both extracts as well as chloroform and butanol fractions also reduced blood sugar level of diabetic mice significantly. The present findings, therefore, hints that the ethanol extract as well as its chloroform and butanol fractions might also have active principles responsible for antidiabetic effect which confirms the claim for the traditional antidiabetic use of M. stenopetala. Key words: Moringa stenopetala, diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemic effect, antihyperglycemic effect, normoglycemic, alloxan.