Hypoglyceamic and Hepatoprotective Potentials of Dichloromethane (DCM) Fraction of Gongronema Latifolium Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic health issue with devastating but preventable consequences. The increasing proportion of the aging population, intake of calorie-dense diets, weight problems and sedentary lifestyles have been directly implicated in the increased number of diabetics globally. Furthermore, diabetes confers a huge economic burden due to its management costs, especially in low income countries. This study investigated the hypoglyceamic and hepatoprotective potentials of the dichloromethane (DCM) fraction of G. latifolium stem bark extract on some biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats. A total of thirty (30) Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five (5) groups with six (06) animals per group. Type 2 diabetes was induced with intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin in Groups 2 – 4, with animals in Groups 1 and 2 acting as normal and untreated diabetic controls, respectively. Group 3 rats were treated with the standard drug, metformin, while groups 4 and 5 were orally administered 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of DCM fraction of G. latifolium stem bark extract. Changes in the body weight, biochemical assays (ALT, AST, total protein, albumin and urea), and expression levels of selected genetic markers, as well as the changes in liver histology, were determined and compared. Data obtained from this study show that the fasting blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic rats were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced, and the body weight steadily increased in rats treated with both doses of the DCM fraction of G. latifolium stem bark extract compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Total protein, AST and ALT levels, but not albumin levels, were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in rats treated with both doses of the extract. In addition, administration of the extracts significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the streptozotocin-induced repression of NRF2 and CAT expression in diabetic rats. Furthermore, histology results show an improvement in the liver architecture in the rats treated with the extract. The results from this study show that the DCM fraction of g. Latifolium stem bark extract possesses hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective and anti-diabetic activities and could be used in the management of diabetes.