Effect of aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum and Garcinia kola on alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar albino rats

Abstract

The effect of aqueous extracts of Ocimum gratissimum and Garcinia kola on blood glucose concentration, lipid profile and liver enzymes activities of wistar albino rats was investigated. The study was carried out using fourty four (44) wistar albino rats, divided into eleven (11) groups with four (4) rats in each groups. The rats were administered different concentrations of aqueous extracts of O.gratissimum and G. kola on daily basis for the period of twenty-one (21) days. Group 1 served as control and they were not administered with any extract. Group 2 and 3 were administered 10% and 15% aqueous extract of O.gratissmum, group 4 and 5 were administered 10% and 15% aqueous extracts of G. kola. Group 6 to 11 were induced with diabetes using a single dose of alloxan (120mg/kg body weight). Group 6 served as diabetic control. Group 7 was treated with metformin (300mg/kg body weight), group 8 and 9 were administered with 10% and 15% aqueous extract of O.gratissimum and group 10 and 11 were administered with 10% and 15% of G. kola. Results showed significant decrease (P<0.05) in glucose concentration of rats in group 6 to 11 from 8.75 ± 0.62 to 6.40 ± 0.33. The results of the lipid profile showed that there was significant decrease (P<0.05) in cholesterol from 3.40 ± 0.32 to 2.63 ± 0.13. for groups 6, 9, 10 and 11. There was significant increase (P<0.05) in HDL from 0.38 ± 0.10 to 0.53 ± 0.05 for groups 6, 8, 9 and 10. at P <0.05. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) in all the liver enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) except groups 7 and 8 AST. The study showed that O.gratissimum and G.kola possess hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective properties.

Keywords: Aqueous extracts, Hepatoprotective effects