ABSTRACT
Aims: To evaluate the anti-hyperglycaemic efficacy and safety of the methanol extract of the combination of Senecio biafrae leaf, Xylopia aethiopica fruit, Carica papaya seed and Spondias mombin stem bark mixed together in ratio 1:1:1:1 Study Design: Extract of medicinal plants was assayed using glucose and streptozotocin-induced herperglycaemic rats model. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy, Obafemi Awolowo University, IleIfe, Nigeria, between May, 2019 and January, 2022. Methodology: The extract of the combined plant parts was tested for toxicity in rats while its effects on glucose level, blood and biochemical components were also assessed. Its in-vitro anti-hyperglycaemic activity was assayed in ?-amylase and ?-glucosidase inhibitory models while its in-vivo effects were tested in glucose and streptozotocin-induced hyperglycaemic rats. The antioxidant activity of the extract was also carried out. Results: The extract did not show any adverse effects on blood sugar levels, haematological and biochemical parameters in normal rats in sub acute toxicity tests. The extract gave comparable (p > 0.05) ?-amylase and ?-glucosidase inhibitory effects to acarbose. In glucose-induced hyperglycaemic rats, its 100 mg/kg was the most effective dose with 19, 40, 43, and 57% activity that was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the 10, 18, 24, and 40% activity given by glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) at the same time points. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic assay, its 50 mg/kg showed 31, 85, 85 and 82 % effects on days 4, 7, 10 and 14, respectively that was significantly higher than its 100 mg/kg and glibenclamide on days 7 and 10. The extract also elicited high free radical scavenging effects in all the antioxidant assays. Conclusion: The extract of the combination of four Nigerian antidiabetic plants mixed together in equal ratio gave significantly better antidiabetic activity at low doses than the individual plants without toxic effects.
ABSTRACT
Aims: To evaluate blood glucose-lowering ability of leaf ashes and compare anti-hyperglycaemic activities of Annona muricata leaf extract and ash. Study Design: Ashes and extract of medicinal plants were assayed using glucose-loaded rats model. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacognosy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, between March 2017 and February 2020. Methodology: Adequately prepared ashes of seven plants and A. muricata methanol extract were assayed for anti-hyperglycaemic potentials, using glucose-loaded (10 g/kg, p.o.) Wistar rats that were hyperglycaemic [blood glucose levels ? 7.0 mmol/L] thirty minutes thereafter (T0.0). Groups of 5 rats each, were administered 100, 150, 200 mg/kg of different ashes and A. muricata extract (200 mg/kg). Normal saline and glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) were negative and positive controls, respectively. Their blood glucose levels were determined at 0-4 hours post-extract/ash/drug administration; results analysed using ANOVA followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls’ and Dunnett post-hoc tests. P ? .05 was considered significantly different. Results: 100 mg/kg of Momordica charantia, Azadirachta indica and Eugenia malaccensis leaf ashes was their most active dose, indicating significantly higher extrapancreatic activity. 32, 37, 54, 59 and 36, 43, 50, 48 % reductions elicited by Chromolaena odorata (COLA) and A. muricata (AMLA) ashes (200 mg/kg) at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 hours, respectively made them the most active ashes. Also, blood glucose levels in glibenclamide (5 mg/kg)-, COLA-, AMLA- and its extract (200 mg/kg)-treated rats were comparable (P > .05) and their anti-hyperglycaemic activity was suggested to be due to the pancreatic (insulinotropic) and extra-pancreatic actions of their constituents. Conclusion: Study justified anti-diabetic ethnomedicinal use of plant-ashes in Nigeria, while doses were recommended for the optimum folkloric usage of these leaf ashes in managing diabetes in the rural areas of Nigeria. The leaf ashes may contain elements with glucose postprandial tolerance factor and insulin stimulating properties.
ABSTRACT
Meteorological data including air temperature and wind speed which were collected from DACCIWA measurement site at a tropical agricultural field site in Ile-Ife (7.55oE, 4.56oE), south-western Nigeria have been used to classify boundary layer stability regimes using gradient Richardson number. Three categories were considered to deduce the pattern of stability conditions namely stable, unstable and neutral conditions for 3-hourly intervals at 0.00, 03.00, 06.00, 09.00, 12.00, 15.00, 18.00 and 21.00 hours from 15th June to 31st July 2016. The data were sampled every 1sec and stored subsequently as 10 minutes averages for all the measured parameters. The data was further reduced to 30 minutes averages for easy analysis and manipulation in the calculation of gradient Richardson number used for boundary layer stability regime characterization. The results showed that the month of June 2016 had prevalence of stable regime from 0:00 – 6:00 am and 6:00 pm; 9:00 am was predominantly neutral and shared similar pattern with 9:00 pm. Unstable regime was slightly observed at 12:00 pm and majorly observed at 3:00 pm. The month of July had a little shift from what was observed in the month of June. Predominance of neutral conditions was observed from 9:00 pm to 9:00 am; Hours of 12:00 – 3:00 pm were dominated by unstable regime while 6:00 pm was dominated by stable regime.
ABSTRACT
The increase in the prevalence, complications and cost effect of diabetes management necessitated the search for alternative treatment and a look into the anti-diabetic and biochemical effects of Persea americana seed extract on the liver of diabetic rats. This study was conceived and designed based on the gaps in the research that has been performed and what is known about the plant. The anti-diabetic and biochemical effects of both the water and ethanol extracts of Persea americana (avocado pear) seed on alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats were investigated. The seeds were minced by means of a grater and dried to a constant weight in an oven at 50°C. It is then ground to powder. One hundred grams (100 g) of the sample was extracted with 1000 ml of both water and methanol using the maceration method. The extracts were evaporated to dryness using a rotary evaporator and the extracts stored at 4°C until use. The effects of different doses (200 mg/bw, and 300/bw) of both water and methanol extracts of P. americana seed on alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats were compared with those of a reference drug, insulin. The glucose level and weight of the rats were measured weekly for 21 days. The liver function tests of the rats were investigated. Results of study showed that the extract possess a significant anti-diabetic effect for both extracts (P < 0.05). However, when compared within the experimental groups, the rats treated with ethanol extracts of P. americana seed showed a better anti diabetic effect. The liver function enzyme parameters showed no significant difference (P> 0.05) and reversed the increased liver function parameters that occurred in alloxan-induced albino diabetic untreated rats, comparable to the effects of insulin. In conclusion, the present study provides a pharmacological basis for the traditional use of P. americana seeds extracts in the management of Diabetes Mellitus.
ABSTRACT
Heliotropium indicum of the family Boraginaceae is used locally in Nigeria to treat ailments such as ulcer and fever. In this study, ulceration of the gastric mucosa in Wistar rats was induced via the oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight of Indomethacin. Histological analyses of the stomach body wall in the rats of Groups 2 and 4 (which received 100mg/kg/bodyweight of extract before oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight Indomethacin and 80mg/kg/bodyweight Indomethacin only respectively) showed erosion of the mucus-secreting cells, gastric pit, upper and middle parts of gastric glands and some of the parietal cells. Histological observations of the stomach body wall in rats of Group 5 (which received 200mg/ kg/bodyweight of extract before oral administration of 80mg/kg/bodyweight of Indomethacin) showed erosion of the mucus-secreting cells, gastric pit and the upper most part of the gastric gland. Histological observations of the stomach body wall in rats of Groups 1, 6 and 3 (which received 50mg/kg/bodyweight of Ranitidine and 400mg/kg/bodyweight of extract before oral administration of 80mg/ kg/bodyweight Indomethacin; and only 80mg/kg/bodyweight of Normal Saline respectively) showed normal morphological appearance of the different components of the mucosa layer. Thus, the aqueous extracts of the dried leaves of Heliotropium indicum have dose dependent histo-gastroprotective effects.