Antihyperglycaemic effect of ethanolic leaf extracts of Venonia Amygdalina in alloxan-induced albino rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is an important endocrine and metabolic disease which caused considerable morbidity and mortality Worldwide. The effect of Venonia amygdalina extract on diabetic induced albino rat was studied at the Department of Biological Science, Bayero University Kano. The plant was collected from a vegetable garden at Nsukka,EnuguState which was washed, air-died and grounded into powdered using pestle and mortar. The powdered material was percolated in ethanol for seven days to obtain the crude extract.

     Albino rats were used in the experiment and were kept in the laboratory animal care unit of the Biological Sciences Department, Bayero University Kano, for a 2-week acclimatization period before the actual experiments. The cages were thoroughly cleaned, and the rats were weighed and fed on a standard feed and water ad libitum throughout the period of acclimatization and the experiments. Diabetes mellitus was induced in a batch of normoglycaemic albino rats starved for 16 h by injecting alloxan monohydrate dissolved in physiological saline intraperitoneally. Seven days after alloxan injection blood glucose level was monitored. The animals were grouped into four( Group1,2,3 and 4 respectively) based on their body weight and each of the group were given separate dose of the plant extract after induction of diabetic except the  last group which is the control group.

      The result of the study indicated that all the dosage used in the study significantly reduced the blood glucose level (104-135mg/dl) in comparison with diabetic induced group (154mg/dl). The plant (V. amygdalina) reduced blood glucose level of diabetic induced albino rat. It can therefore serve as a source of bioactive compound which can substitute the chemical compound which is very expensive for low resource individuals.