European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

THE EFFECT OF AQUEOUS LEAF FRACTION OF Gongronema latifolium ON ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC MODELS

Effiong, Grace Sylvester*; Essien, Grace Emmanuel; Akpanyung, Edet Okon; Danladi, Ngyan Bala and Osadoh, Robinson Obosaoye

ABSTRACT

Gongronema latifolium is a medicinal plant used in indigenous system of medicine as an antidiabetic agent. Hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic and haematological activities of aqueous leaf fraction of Gongronema latifolium in diabetic rat models were evaluated using standard analytical methods. Twenty-five animals were divided into 5 groups, all diabetic except group 1; Group I (normal control), group II (positive control), group III (negative control), while groups IV and V were administered 300mg/kg and 400mg/kg of the aqueous leaf fraction of the plant respectively. The result of the body weight of groups IV and V showed significant increase (p 0.05) when compared to group III. The blood glucose level in group IV animals decreased significantly (p 0.05) by 61.58% while group V further decreased by 66.11% when compared to group I (3.78%) and group III (19.79%). Diabetes induction caused significant increase (p 0.05) in total cholesterol (TC)(3.80 ± 0.16mmol/l) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)(3.30 ± 0.19mmol/l)in group III when compared to normal control (TC=3.58 ± 0.02mmol/l, LDC-C=0.58 ± 0.04mmol/l), while treatment with aqueous fraction of Gongronema latifolium significantly decreased (P 0.05) the level of TC(300mg/kg=3.74 ± 0.16mmol/l, 400mg/kg=3.54 ± 0.33mmol/l and LDL-C(300mg/kg=0.86 ± 0.10mmol/l, 400mg/kg=0.72 ± 0.04mmol/l)when compared to group III. The amino transferases (ALT and AST) parameters activities significantly increased (P 0.05) in the diabetic group (AST=69.80 ± 4.83(μ/L), ALT=25.60 ± 3.70(μ/L)) but became reduced upon treatment with aqueous fraction of Gongronema latifolium; (ALT -300mg/kg=26.00 ± 1.30(μ/L), 400mg/kg=29.60 ± 4.04μ/L; AST - 300mg/kg=60.60± 2.50μ/L, 400mg/kg=58.80 ± 1.59μ/L). Haematological indices such as WBC, RBC, HBG, HCT, PCV, also reveal significant changes with treatment of the aqueous leaf fraction. Thus, the result suggests that the aqueous leaf fraction of Gongronema latifolium could ameliorate hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic activities and haematological disorders.

Keywords: Gongronema Latifolium, Aqueous Fraction, Hypoglycaemic, Hypolipidemic and Haematological Indicies.