Hematological Changes and Antidiabetic Activities of Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schatt Stem Tuber Aqueous Extract in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Managementofbloodglucoselevelisthehallmarkinthetreatmentofdiabetes.MuchworkhasnotbeendoneonthemanagementofdiabetesusingthestemtuberextractofColocasiaesculenta.TheobjectiveofthisstudywastoevaluatetheantihyperglycemicandhematologicalparameteronColocasiaesculentaaqueousstemextractinalloxaninduceddiabeticrats.Sixty(60)maleratswereusedinthestudy.Sevendaysofacclimatization,theratsweredividedrandomlyintosixgroupsoffiveineachgroup.Group1:Servedasnormalcontrol,Group2:Diabeticcontrolgroup(negativecontrol),Group3:Diabeticgroupand“Glucinorm-M80”(positivecontrol),Group4:Diabeticgroupandextractat200mg/kgbodyweight,Group5:Diabeticgroupandextractat400mg/kg,Group6:Diabeticgroupandextractat600mg/kg.Diabeteswasinducedinalbinoratsby intraperitonealinjectionofalloxanatasingledoseof120mg/kgbodyweightingroups2to6afterstarvingthemfor24hrs.Theanimalsweregivenfeedandwateradlibitum.ThealbinoratswereadministeredfortwentyeightdayswiththeaqueousColocasiaesculentastemtuber,afterwhichtheywerefastedovernight,anaesthetizedwithchloroformandsacrificed.Theresultshowedthattherewasasignificantincrease(p<0.05)inmeanbodyweightofthepositivecontrolandthetreatmentgroups(200mg/kgto600mg/kg)whencomparedwiththenegativecontrolwhichhasasignificantdecrease(p<0.05)inmeanbodyweight.Theresultalsoshowedasignificantincrease(P<0.05)intheconcentrationsofRBC,PCV,HB,whilePLTandMCHshowedsignificantdecrease(P<0.05)inthetreatmentgroupsandnegativecontrolgroupwhencomparedwiththenormalcontrolgroup.Alsotherewasanosignificant(P<0.05)differenceinMCHCofthetreatmentgroupswhencomparedwiththecontrolgroupandnegativecontrolgroup.Alsotherewasasignificantdifferenceinglycosylatehemoglobinofthetreatmentgroupswhencomparedwiththecontrolgroupandnegativegroup.ThisstudyhasdemonstratedthataqueousstemtuberextractofColocasiaesculentahasasignificantincreaseonbodyweightwhichmayhavearoleofimprovingthestatesofpossibleweightlossfollowingcomplicateddiabetes.Also,aqueousstemtuberextractofColocasiaesculentahasanameliorativeeffectonsugarlevelandsomehematologicalparametersofalloxaninduceddiabeticratsshowingeffectivediabeticcontrolandmanagementofdiabetes

Serum Electrolytes and Red Blood Cell Membrane Potential of Hypertensive Patients

Serum electrolyte and red blood cell membrane potential of hypertensive patients in Owerri metropolis were investigated. A total of 50 volunteer subjects were used for the study. Thirty (30) of the volunteer subjects were hypertensive subjects and were used as test subjects; while the remaining 20 subjects were healthy subjects with normal blood pressure used as normentensive subjects (control). Results observed showed increased red blood cell (RBC) K+ and Cl- in hypertension subjects against normentensive subjects. Apart from K+ which reduced significantly (p<0.05), other electrolyte ions of the serum increased significantly (p<0.05) in hypertensive subjects against normentensive subjects. However, Na+ and Cl- membrane potential was not significantly (p>0.05) altered in hypertensive subjects against normotensive subjects while K+ was significantly (p<0.05) altered. The observed alterations in the parameters investigated in hypertensive subjects in the present study could be as a result of a host of derangements involving electrolyte metabolism, altered membrane transport and a possible increase in membrane fragility. This study has shown the serum electrolyte and red blood cell membrane potential of hypertensive patients in Owerri metropolis.