Acute Hypoglycaemic Activities and Fatty Acid Profile of Seed Oil of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Lam

Abstract

The adverse effect of oral hypoglycaemic drugs necessitated the search for efficient and safer antidiabetic drugs from herbal formulation. As such, the fatty acids profile and acute antidia­betic activities of Moringa oleifera seed oil extract of petroleum ether (PEEMO) and Moringa oleifera seed oil extract of dichloromethane (DCMMO) were investigated. The 2.0 mL/kg body weight (kg.bw) of both oils, 500 μg/kg.bw of glibenclimide and 2.0 mL/kg.bw of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) were given orally to rats in their respective groups after induction with 2 g/kg.bw of glucose solution orally. Unsaturated fatty acids contents were in high proportion in both oils when compared to saturated fatty acids content. Administration of glucose solution significantly elevated the blood glucose level to 24.71, 47.83, 44.05, 44.78 and 30.86% for normoglycaemic, control, glibenclimide, DCMMO and PEEMO respectively at 30 minutes from their respective basal blood glucose level. However, the blood glucose level of the glib­enclimide, PEEMO, DCMMO treated groups were significantly (p<0.05) reduced at 60 (24.57, 15.61 and 10.69%), 90 (43.87, 30.08 and 15.45%) and 120 (57.98, 19.82 and 41.33%) minutes respectively when compared with that of 30 minutes’ blood glucose levels. Therefore, Moringa oleifera seed oil extracts demonstrated acute hypoglycaemic effects in glucose fed rats.

Keywords: Moringa oleifera, glibenclimide, antidiabetic, diabetes, unsaturated fatty acids.