Hypoglycaemic and Hypolipidaemic Potentials of Senna alata and Its Effect on the Pancreas of Alloxan-Diabetic Induced Albino Rats

Abstract

This study evaluates the anti-diabetic and anti-lipidemic potentials of oral administration of ethanolic leaf extracts of Senna alata on alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. Forty rats were grouped into eight groups (five per group) based on average body weights. Diabetes similar to that of type I in human was induced by a single intra-peritoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate a diabetogenic agent (160 mg/kg). The fasting blood sugar (FBS) level of the rats was checked before alloxan injection and after 120 hours of alloxan injection, the rats from group 2 to group 8 were confirmed diabetic with an increase in glucose levels >8.7 mmol/L. Group 1 served as normal control, Group 2 was treated with a standard diabetic drug, “metformin”, which serves as positive control while Group 3 (diabetic and untreated negative control) and Groups 4 to 8 were diabetic and treated with the extract of S. alata. The extract was administered twice daily for 21 days at doses of 500 mg kg -1 – 2500 mg kg -1 in Group 4 to 8 based on average body weight. Group 3 (negative control) remain diabetic with increased glucose, total cholesterol (HDL), triglyceride (TAG) level, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and reduction in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level throughout the experiment. Glucose assay was carried out on the 7th, 10th, 14th and 21st day while CHOL, triglyceride, LDL and HDL were assayed on the 21st day. A significant reduction (p<0.05) in the FBS levels of rats in Group 4-8 was observed when compared to the normal control. A significant increase (p<0.05) in HDL level were observed in groups treated with the extract and metformin group when compared to Group 1 (normal control) and also a significant decrease (p<0.05) were observed in CHOL, TAG and LDL levels in groups treated with extract and metformin group when compared to the normal control with an associated rapid decrease in glucose level. The study has demonstrated that the extract exhibits anti-lipidemic and anti-diabetic properties because of the significant regeneration and repair of damage beta cells in alloxan-induced diabetic rats as captured in the photomicrographs.