Anti-diabetic Activity of Aqueous Extract of Senna alata (Fabacea) Flower in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Male Rats
YAKUBU M T*, UWAZIE N J, IGUNNU A.
Phytomedicine, Toxicology, Reproductive and Developmental Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, P. M. B 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria.
(*Corresponding author: Tel No.: +2348037544437; E-mail: tomuyak@gmail.com).
Received April, 2014; revised March, 2015; accepted April, 2015.
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the acclaimed anti-diabetic potential of aqueous extract of Senna alata flower in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Forty-two, male Wistar rats were randomized into six groups (I-VI) such that animals in group I which were non-diabetic received 0.5ml each of distilled water while those in groups II-IV which were induced into diabetes (intraperitoneal administration of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan) received orally 0.5ml each of distilled water, glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg body weight), 25, 50 and 75mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively once daily for 13 days. The secondary metabolites in decreasing order of abundance were phenolics, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, saponins, anthraquinones, tannins and alkaloids. The elevated (P < 0.05) blood glucose level, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, haemoglobin, total bilirubin, serum urea and creatinine as well as the reduced body weight, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, liver glycogen, packed cell volume, albumin, conjugated bilirubin and hexokinase activity by the alloxan were reversed and or/ameliorated by the extract, similar to the reference drug, glibenclamide. The extract restored the alloxan treatment related distortion and atrophy in the pancreas. The available data in the study suggests that aqueous extract of Sena alata flower at the doses of 25, 50 and 75mg/kg body exhibited anti-diabetic activity with the highest dose displaying the most profound activity. The anti-diabetic activity conferred by the secondary metabolite is suggested, among other, to be via enhancing the activity of hexokinase. This study has justified the folkloric use of S. alata flower in the management of diabetes.
Key words: Anti-diabetes, Senna alata, Pancreas, Fabaceae, Hexokinase.
RESUME
Cette Ă©tude a examinĂ© le potentiel antidiabĂ©tique acclamĂ© de l’extrait aqueux de Senna alata fleur dans les rats diabĂ©tiques induite par l’alloxane. Quarante-deux, des rats Wistar mâles ont Ă©tĂ© randomisĂ©s en six groupes (I-VI) telle que les animaux du groupe I qui n’Ă©taient pas diabĂ©tiques a reçu 0,5 ml chacune de l’eau distillĂ©e, tandis que ceux des groupes II-IV qui ont Ă©tĂ© induites dans le diabète (l’administration intrapĂ©ritonĂ©ale de 150 mg/kg de poids corporel de l’alloxane) reçues oralement 0.5ml chaque de dis-LabourĂ© eau, glibenclamide (2,5 mg/kg de poids corporel), 25, 50 et 75 mg/kg de poids corporel de l’extraient respectivement une fois par jour pendant 13 jours. Les mĂ©tabolites secondaires dans l’ordre dĂ©croissant d’abondance ont Ă©tĂ© composĂ©s phĂ©noliques, flavonoĂŻdes, glycosides cardiaques, stĂ©roĂŻdes, saponines, les anthraquinones, des tannins et alcaloĂŻdes. L’Ă©levĂ© (P < 0,05) la glycĂ©mie, le cholestĂ©rol total, de triglycĂ©rides, cholestĂ©rol Ă lipoprotĂ©ines de faible densitĂ©, hĂ©moglobine, bilirubine totale, sĂ©rum-urĂ©e et de la crĂ©atinine ainsi que la rĂ©duction du poids corporel, cholestĂ©rol Ă lipoprotĂ©ines de haute densitĂ©, le glycogène hĂ©patique, l’hĂ©matocrite, de l’albumine, la bilirubine conjuguĂ©e et de l’activitĂ© de l’hexokinase par l’alloxane Ă©taient inversĂ©s et/ou amĂ©liorĂ©s par l’extrait, similaire Ă la drogue de rĂ©fĂ©rence, glibenclamide. L’extrait restaurĂ© l’alloxane distorsion liĂ© au traitement et de l’atrophie dans le pancrĂ©as. Les donnĂ©es disponibles dans l’Ă©tude suggère que l’extrait aqueux de Sena alata fleur Ă des doses de 25, 50 et 75 mg/kg corps prĂ©sentait l’activitĂ© anti-diabĂ©tiques avec la plus forte dose affichant le plus profond de l’activitĂ©. L’un-ti-activitĂ© diabĂ©tique confĂ©rĂ©s par le mĂ©tabolite secondaire est suggĂ©rĂ©, entre autres, Ă ĂŞtre via l’amĂ©lioration de l’activitĂ© de l’hexokinase. Cette Ă©tude a justifiĂ© l’utilisation de S. folklorique alata fleur dans la gestion du diabète.
Mots clĂ©s : anti-diabète, Senna alata, pancrĂ©as, Fabaceae, de l’hexokinase.