Anti-diabetic Activity of Aqueous Extract of Senna alata (Fabacea) Flower in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Male Rats
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Date
2016
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Published by Cameroon Biosciences Society
Abstract
This study investigated the acclaimed anti-diabetic potential of aqueous extract of Senna alata flower in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Forty-two, male Wistar rats were randomized into six groups (I-VI) such that animals in group I which were non-diabetic received 0.5ml each of distilled water while those in groups II-IV which were induced into diabetes (intraperitoneal administration of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan) received orally 0.5ml each of distilled water, glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg body weight), 25, 50 and 75mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively once daily for 13 days. The secondary metabolites in decreasing order of abundance were phenolics, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, saponins, anthraquinones, tannins and alkaloids. The elevated (P < 0.05) blood glucose level, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, haemoglobin, total bilirubin, serum urea and creatinine as well as the reduced body weight, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, liver glycogen, packed cell volume, albumin, conjugated bilirubin and hexokinase activity by the alloxan were reversed and or/ameliorated by the extract, similar to the reference drug, glibenclamide. The extract restored the alloxan treatment related distortion and atrophy in the pancreas. The available data in the study suggests that aqueous extract of Sena alata flower at the doses of 25, 50 and 75mg/kg body exhibited anti-diabetic activity with the highest dose displaying the most profound activity. The anti-diabetic activity conferred by the secondary metabolite is suggested, among other, to be via enhancing the activity of hexokinase. This study has justified the folkloric use of S. alata flower in the management of diabetes.
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Anti-diabetic, Senna alata, Pancreas, Fabaceae, Hexokinase