Anti-diabetic and haematological effects of n-butanol fraction of Alchornea cordifolia leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic wistar rats.

The study investigated the anti-diabetic and haematological effects of n-butanol fraction of Alchornea cordifolia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic wistar rats. In this work, thirty six adult strain of albino wistar rats were used, which included six normal, diabetic untreated and twenty four diabetic treated rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced by single intraperitoneally injection of 60 mg/kg body weight dose of streptozotocin dissolved in 0.1 ml fresh cold citrate buffer pH 4.5 into 16 h-fasted rats. Diabetic rats were randomly divided as follows: Group I served as normal control, Group II served as diabetic untreated rats, while Group III to Group VI received 200, 400 and 800mg/kg b w of the extract and glibenclamide 10mg/kg b w respectively by orally by gavages for a period of 28 days. The animals were weighed weekly to determine the change in body weight. Fasting blood glucose was measured after every seven days. After the last day of treatment, blood samples were collected from the animals from each group on the 29 th day by cardiac puncture in 16 hours fasted animals for the determination of haematological parameters. The results obtained in this present study showed that the blood glucose level was significantly (p<0.05) decreased in the animals administered with 200mg/kg b w of the extract, with a higher decrease (p < 0.01) observed in the group that received 400 and 800mg/kg b w extract respectively when compared to the diabetic control group. However, there was a significantly increased (p<0.05) body weight of diabetic animals that received all doses of the extract after 14 th , 21 st and 28 th day when compared to diabetic control group. There was a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in packed cell volume, red cell count, haemoglobin concentration and total protein in the extract treated diabetic animals. The total white blood cell count and lymphocyte revealed a significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels after treatment with the extract after 28 th days. In conclusion, the plant extract showed a significant hypoglycemic as well as erythropoetic effects in the diabetic animals, justifying its use traditionally in the management of diabetes mellitus.