Research Article
Mbaka G. O., Adeyemi O.O, Ades
Abstract
Anti-hyperglycaemic and anti-diabetic activity of p etroleum ether seed extract of Sphenocentrum jollyanum (SJ) Pierre (Menispermaceae) was evaluated in hype rglycaemic and in alloxan diabetic rabbits. The seed extract of SJ and glibenclamide a dministered 30 min prior to the glucose load significantly ( p < 0.05) reduced the peak values and the area under curve of blood glucose by 20.0 % and 43.8 % respectively compared to the untreated. In alloxan diabetic animals, treatment with the see d extract of SJ significantly ( p < 0.05) lowered the blood glucose level in a dose dependent manner from day 3 of daily treatment and continued till the las t day of the treatment. Further decrease was howeve r recorded post-treatment with the extract doses of 3 00, 600 and 1200 mg/kg body weight (bw) showing maximum percentage decrease of 12.3, 29.2 and 32.7 respectively while glibenclamide group (10 mg/kg) recorded a decrease of 51.9 %. Tissue morphology of the extract treated diabetic rabbits showed necrotic beta cells with some viable cells at the p eriphery. In glibenclamide treated, considerable damage to the beta cells was equally recorded. The result indicates that the extract attenuated hyperglcaemia in alloxan diabetic rabbits