Effects of NaCl and Lime water on the Hypoglycemic and Antioxidant activities of Ocimum gratissimum in Alloxan-induced Diabetic rats.

Abstract

The antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of Ocimum gratissimum (O.G) are well documented. This study was designed to investigate the effects of adding NaCl or lime water to aqueous leaves extract of O.G in al loxan (100mg/kg)-induced diabetic rats. 25 male wistar rats of average weight 180 were divided into 5 groups a s; control, diabetic, diabetic treated with O.G (400 mg/kg), diabetic treated with O.G+ NaCl and diabetic treate d with O.G + lime water for six weeks. At the end of the experiment, plasma glucose level, Total protein, Albumi n and liver ALT, AST, MDA and GSH were determined. The results showed that the aqueous extract of O.G, sig nificantly (P<0.05) reduced the plasma glucose, liver MDA and significantly (P<0.05) increased the liver GSH and ALT of the treated diabetic rats. However these values were found to be significantly (P<0.05) reduced by t he addition of NaCl and limewater. While there were no significant (P<0.05) differences in the plasma albumin, total proteins and liver AST in the treated groups as compared with the control. This study showed that the addi tion of NaCl or lime water to the extracts of O. gratissimum may reduce the hypoglycemic and antioxidant activi ties associated with O. gratissimum.