Anti-hyperglycemic and Anti-hyperlipidemic effects of Hydroethanol Leaf and Stem Extracts of Vitex doniana in Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of hydroethanolic leaf and stem extracts of Vitex doniana on alloxan induced diabetes in rats was evaluated. Thirty (30) male rats were assigned to five (5) groups of six (6) rats each as follows: Group I served as normal control rats and were fed with standard feed and water ad libitum, Group II was induced with diabetes by single intraperitoneal injection of freshly prepared alloxan [150 mg/kg body weight (BW)] to overnight fasted rats but received no treatment, Group III-V were induced with alloxan and treated with 5 mg/kg BW standard drug glibenclamide, 300 mg/kg BW leaf extract and 300 mg/kg BW stem extract of Vitex doniana respectively.  The results revealed that the leaf and stem extracts had anti-hyperglycemic activity similar to glibenclamide. Analysis of lipid profile showed that whereas alloxan induced increase in the concentration of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein and triglycerides, hydroethanolic leaf and stem extracts caused a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the these biomarkers compared to the control. The outcome of this study portrayed that hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia caused by the alloxan can be mitigated by administration of extracts of Vitex doniana.