Phytochemical Composition and Effect of Nauclea Latifolia Aqueous Extracts on Blood Glucose Levels of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Albino Rats

Abstract

Researches targeted at understanding and controlling abnormally high level of blood glucose in Diabetes mellitus are ongoing. In spite of many available anti-diabetic drugs in the market, safer and cheaper remedies from plant material are being sought for due to the unwanted side effects of these drugs. In this research work, we looked at the beneficial blood glucose lowering effect of the plant Nauclea latifolia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic albino Wistar rats. The extracts were first screened for the presence of phytochemicals using standard methods and the result showed the presence of saponins, tannins, reducing sugar, phlobatannins, anthraquinone, flavonoids, steroids and alkaloids. The study design involved 30 male albino Wistar rats which were divided into 6 groups. Groups 1 and 2 represent the Normal Control and Diabetic Control respectively. Groups 3, 4 and 5 were Diabetic rats treated orally with 500mg/kg body weight of aqueous extracts of Stem-bark, Leaves and Root-bark respectively while Group 6 were Diabetic rats treated with 5mg/kg body weight of Glibenclamide. The extracts and Glibenclamide were administered for 28 days. Blood glucose levels were determined on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 by tail tipping method using Glucometer (Accu-Chek, Manheim, Germany). The extracts and Glibenclamide reduced significantly (p<0.05) the Fasting Blood Glucose levels in the diabetic treated rats compared with the Diabetic Control. Amongst the extracts the root-bark is more efficacious, decreasing the glucose level by 49.80% while the stem-bark and leaves brought about reduction by 28.76% and 12.15% respectively. The findings imply that the extracts of this plant have blood glucose lowering ability and should be further evaluated for its beneficial effect in Diabetes mellitus management.