Study on the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and histological effects of ethylacetate extract of Combretum platypterum leaves in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

Background: Diabetes mellitus has become an increase concern in the world. People especially in poor communities have been using medicinal plants to treat diabetes and its complications. Much work has been done to find scientific evidences to support the use of medicinal plants thus ethylacetate extract of Combretum platypterum was investigated for its hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and histological effects in alloxan induced diabetic Wistar albino rats.

Objectives: To investigate the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, histological effects and toxicological effects of ethylacetate extract of Combretum platypterum leaves in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Phytochemical screening was carried out on the crude sample of Combretum platypterum leaves. Sequential extraction was carried out on the plant leaves using n-hexane, ethylacetate and methanol. The extracts were concentrated to constant weights using rotary evaporator. Diabetes was induced in the albino rats by administering 150 mg/kg i.p. of alloxan monohydrate. The ethylacetate extract of Combretum platypterum at 1000, 500, 250, 100, 50 mg/kg of body weight were administered orally at a single dose per day to the diabetic induced rats for 14 days. Effect of the extract and Glibenclamide (positive control) on blood glucose, plasma lipid
and blood biochemical parameters were determined in the diabetic rats. Histological effect was also carried on the vital organs of the animals.

Results: Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, saponnins, cardiac glycosides, cyanogenetic glycosides, tannins and alkaloids while anthraquinones were absent. The hypoglycemic effect showed a significant positive effect when compared with the standard drug (p<0.05). Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) and the extract at 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg showed significant hypolipidemic effect when compared to reference range (HDL>35 mg/dl) in animals. The extract at all doses caused reduction in total triglyceride and total
cholesterol levels when compared with the reference and negative control. The histological result showed that C. platypterum has no toxic effect on the vital organs.

Conclusion: The assessment of the ethylacetate extract of C. platypterum showed reduction the blood glucose level, hypolipidemic activities and has no toxic effect on the vital organs of the animals.