Anti-diabetic and Haematological Effects of n-butanol fraction of Alchornea cordifolia Leaf Extract in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

摘要

The study investigated the anti-diabetic and haematological effects of n-butanol fraction of Alchorneacordifolia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic wistar rats. In this work, thirty six adult strain of albino wistar ratswere used, which included six normal, diabetic untreated and twenty four diabetic treated rats. Diabetes mellituswas induced by single intraperitoneally injection of 60 mg/kg body weight dose of streptozotocin dissolved in0.1 ml fresh cold citrate buffer pH 4.5 into 16 h-fasted rats. Diabetic rats were randomly divided as follows:Group I served as normal control, Group II served as diabetic untreated rats, while Group III to Group VIreceived 200, 400 and 800mg/kg b w of the extract and glibenclamide 10mg/kg b w respectively by orally bygavage for a period of 28 days. The animals were weighed weekly to determine the change in body weight.Fasting blood glucose was measured after every seven days. Blood was collected from the animals from eachgroup on the 29th day by cardiac puncture after rats were fasted for 12 hours for the determination ofhaematological parameters. The results of the present study showed that the blood glucose level wassignificantly (p<0.05) decreased with 200mg/kg b w with a higher decrease (p < 0.01) observed with 400 and800mg/kg b w. However, glibenclamide 10mg/kg b w gave a better activity (p<0.001) when compared to thediabetic control group. After 14th , 21st and 28th day treatment of diabetic rats with all doses of the plant extractand glibenclamide,there was a significantly (p<0.01) increased body weight of the diabetic rats.There was astatistically significant increase (p<0.05) in packed cell volume, red cell count, haemoglobin concentration andtotal protein in the extract and glibenclamide treated diabetic. Total white blood cell count and lymphocyterevealed a significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels after treatment with the n-butanol fraction of Alchorneacordifolia leaf extract after 28th days. In conclusion, the plant extract showed a significant hypoglycemic as wellas erythropoetic effects in the diabetic animals, justifying its use traditionally in the management of diabetesmellitus.