Antihyperglycaemic and antilipidaemic properties of ethanol stem bark extract of <i>Crossopteryx febrifuga</i> in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

This study investigated Crossoptyerx febrifuga stem bark extract for antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects in alloxan–induced diabetic rats. Thirty diabetic albino rats were assigned into six groups of five rats each and treated with extract of varying doses (500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg and 1500mg/kg) and standard antidiabetic drug- glibenclamide. Treatment of the diabetic rats was done in seven days through orogastric procedure. The extract showed a significant (p ˂ 0.05) hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect in all the doses compared to the diabetic control and standard antidiabetic drug, glibecamide. The high density lipoprotein (HDL) increased significantly (p ˂ 0.05) and the low density lipoprotein (LDL) decreased in all the groups, as against the diabetic control. On percent scale, the HDL increased by 55.18% and the LDL reduced significantly (p ˂ 0.05) by 73.52% at the dose of 500mg/kg as against the standard drug which showed just 20.69% reduction. Acute toxicity study was done prior to the diabetic study. The method adopted was that of Lorke and plant extract was found to be safe up to the dose of 5000mg/kg. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponnins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids phytosterols and polyhenolics. The presence of these rich phytoconstituents was the reason for the antihyperglycemic and hypolipidemic property of this plant thus, confirming its use in folklore.

Keywords: Antihyperglycemic, Crossoptyerx febrifuga, Diabetes mellitus, Phytochemical, Toxicity