Possible Effect of Corn Silk Extracts on Selected Liver Markers and Plasma Glucose in Rabbit

Abstract

Corn silk contains phytochemicals of medical benefits such as proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, Ca, K, Mg and Na salts, fixed and volatile oils, steroids such as sitosterol and stigmasterol, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids. Extract of corn silk is being applied traditionally in the treatment of some medical conditions. This study therefore, aimed at the evaluation of the effect of corn silk extract on liver markers and plasma glucose. Fifteen rabbits of either sex divided into three experimental groups of 5 rabbits each were studied. The extract of the corn silk was obtained using in methanol and water. The control group (A) with average weight of 758 g were not ingested with the extract throughout the period of study. Group B with average weight of 1040 g were ingested with the water extract for 3 weeks while group C with average weight of 984 g were ingested with the methanolic extract for 3 weeks. Plasma LDH, GGT and Glucose were estimated in the rabbits biochemically by spectrophotometry. The rabbits were well kept and placed on normal diet throughout the period of study. There was a significantly lower mean value of plasma glucose in the rabbits ingested with methanol corn silk extract compared with the control subjects after one week of administration(p<0.05). There was also a significantly lower plasma glucose and a significantly higher LDH level in the rabbits administered with the methanolic extract than the given aqueous extract of corn silk (p<0.05).The results obtained also showed a significantly lower plasma GGT in the rabbits administered with the aqueous and methanolic extract of corn silk than the results obtained in the rabbits studied as control(p<0.05) after 3 weeks of administration. The result obtained showed a significantly lower mean value of glucose in the rabbit administered with the methanolic extract compared with those that were given aqueous extract for 4 weeks with p<0.05. The administration of methanolic and aqueous extract of corn silk has an hypoglycaemic and hepatoprotective effects on the rabbits. The methanolic extract was also found to increase plasma LDH. These parameters should therefore be estimated in the patients undergoing treatment with corn silk extract for effective clinical management. The results obtained also show a significant increase in weights of rabbits administered with the aqueous and methanolic extract of corn silk than the results obtained in the rabbits studied as control ‘p<0.005’.