Anti-diabetic Potential of Methanol Extract of Leaves of Selected Medicinal Plant

Abstract

The aim of this work was to determine the anti-diabetic potential of leaves of selected medicinal plants namely; Carica papaya (paw-paw), Psidium guajava (guava) and Anacardium occidentale (cashew). Leaves obtained from each of the aforementioned plants were dried and processed into fine powder which was subsequently extracted with methanol. Phytochemicals present in extracts were quantitatively determined. Thirty (30) adult male albino rats were divided into six groups of five rats each. Group I was the non-diabetic (normal) control, Group II was the untreated (diabetic) control, Groups III-V were separately administered with 200mg/kg b.w of the methanol leaf extract of Carica papaya (paw-paw),Psidium guajava (guava) and Anacardium occidentale (cashew), while Group VI was administered with 2.5 mg/kg glibenclamide. Results on the phytochemical analysis on the extracts showed that saponins was significantly higher (36.89±1.06) in Psidium guajava (guava) leaf extract than pawpaw and cashew leaves extracts (25.55±2.36%) and (27.03±1.48%) respectively. Antidiabetic studies on the methanol leaf extract of the plants, showed that oral administration of 200mg/kg b.w of Psidium guajava (guava) leafextract significantly reduced (121.33±5.78 mg/dl) blood glucose to a level which however was not significantly different from the reduction (121.67±4.4 mg/dl) achieved with 200 mg/kg b.w of Anacardium occidentale (cashew) andCarica papaya (paw-paw) leaves extract. In conclusion, this study has shown that Psidium guajava (guava), Anacardium occidentale (cashew) and Carica papaya (paw-paw) leaves are all potent anti-diabetic options.