Hypolipidemic and hepato-protective effects of Alchornea cordifolia leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

The study investigated the hypolipidemic and hepato-protectiveeffects of n-butanol fraction of Alchorneacordifolia leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. To achievethis set objective, 16 hours fasted rats were made diabetic by singleintraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg body weight dose of streptozotocindissolved in 0.1 ml fresh cold citrate buffer pH 4.5. After this, the diabeticanimals were randomly divided into the following groups: Group I served as thenormal control, Group II served as diabetic control, while Group III to GroupVI were treated with 200, 400 and 800mg/kg b w of the plant extract fractionand glibenclamide 10mg/kg b w respectively by oral gavage for a period of 4weeks. At the end of treatment period all animals from each group wereeuthanized and blood samples collected by cardiac puncture. There was astatistically significant (p< 0.05) reduction in blood glucose level in all groups treated with 200, 400 and 800mg/kg b wof the extract after day 7, 14, 21 and 28 when compared to the diabetic controlgroup. The study also revealed a significantly decreased (p<0.05) serumtotal cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein and significantlyelevated (p<0.05) serum levels especially in the groups treated with 400 and 800 mg/kg b w of the extractwhen compared to the diabetic control group. There was also a significantly reduced(p<0.05) serum liver enzymes, AST, ALT and ALP as well as total and directconjugated bilirubin levels in all groups that received various doses of theplant extract when compared to the diabetic control group. It can be concludedthat the plant possesses anti-diabetic property suggesting that the plant maybe useful in the management of dyslipidemia, a secondary complication thatusually occur in diabetic condition.