Millettia aboensis Attenuates Diabetes Induced Systemic Oxidative Stress in Experimental Animal Model

Millettia aboensis has both antioxidant and antihyperglycermic potentials. However, no scientific studies have investigated its effect on diabetes induced systemic oxidative stress which is a major driving force of diabetic complications. This study evaluated the effect of M. aboensis on diabetes induced systemic oxidative stress in experimental animal model. Diabetes was induced with 70 mg/kg streptozotocin (i.p) following 30 minutes pre-administration of 50 mg/kg nicotinamide (i.p). Diabetic rats were treated orally with 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg of the extract and fractions for 21 days. Fasting blood glucose was determined every 7 days while blood samples were collected on the 22nd day for the determination of antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant status. The extract showed significant (p<0.05) reduction in blood glucose at 400 mg/kg from the 14 th day of treatment while the ethyl acetate fraction at 300 mg/kg showed significant (p<0.05) effect from the 7 th day of treatment. Treatment with the extract, ethyl acetate and butanol fraction at all doses showed significant (p<0.05) increase in catalase enzyme activity compared with the diabetes induced control group. Ethyl acetate fraction at all doses also showed significant (p<0.05) increase in superoxide dismutase enzyme activity and total antioxidant capacity. This study validated the antihyperglycermic effect of M. aboensis as well as established the ability of this plant extract and fractions to attenuate diabetes induced oxidative stress. may be of therapeutic importance in the management of both hyperglycermia and oxidative damage associated with diabetes.