Antidiabetic Activity of Physalis angulata in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Wistar Albino Rats

Background: Physalis angulata have been extensively used for the management of diabetes in folklore medicine, in Nigeria. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effect of aqueous extract of Physalis angulata and its potential mechanisms in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Study Duration: The period of the study was done on 30th September, 2018 at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, university of Jos, Nigeria. Methodology: Albino rats of Wistar strain weighing between 200g to 250g were induced with single freshly prepared streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body weight). Diabetes was confirmed after forty eight hours in streptozotocin -induced rats showing fasting blood glucose levels > 10 mmol/l. The rats were randomly divided into four (4) experimental groups (n = 4). A (Control diabetic group fed with normal feed), Group B (Normal control fed with normal feed), Group Group C (Diabetic rats treated with 400 mg/Kg body weight extract of Physalis angulata and Group D, (Diabetic rats are treated with 400 mg/Kg body weight of glibenclamide). After 8 days the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for biochemical and hematological analysis. Changes in the animal body weights were also measured within the period. Results: From the results, it was observed that treatment of rats with extract of Physalis angulata Original Research Article Mafuyai et al.; JABB, 23(11): 33-43, 2020; Article no.JABB.64510 34 elevates the reduction of body weight, and caused an increase in the body weight of the treated rats. In the same order, serum glucose significantly decreased (p<0.05) after the 8-day treatment compared to diabetic control. The extent of reversal of hyperglycemia in the physalis angulata extract treated animals compared well with the glibenclamide treated group. The results, therefore, showed that Physalis angulata extract has a significant (p<0.05) hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats and the histopathological results of treated groups showed the regenerative/protective effect on cells of pancreas in diabetic rats. Conclusion: The current study revealed the antidiabetic potential of Physalis angulata being effective in hyperglycemia and it can effectively protect against other metabolic aberrations caused by diabetes in rats, which seems to validate its therapeutic traditional use.