In vivo Hypoglycemic Activity of n-Hexane, Chloroform, Ethylacetate, Acetone and Aqueous Fractions of Hunteria umbellata leaf in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Globally, diabetes is a major health problem causing serious issues among the public. In spite the various drugs available, the challenge of controlling diabetes still remains. This study was designed to evaluate the hypoglycemic potentials of various fractions of Hunteria umbellata leaf in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Partitioning of the crude methanol extract was performed using solvent-solvent extraction method. Diabetes was induced in experimental rats by a single dose of intra-peritoneal injection (45mg/kg body weight) of streptozotocin dissolved in 0.1 mL fresh cold citrate buffer at pH 4.5. The various fractions were administered in doses 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight. The result of the hypoglycemic effect showed that rats administered Glibenclamide had 65.10 % ± 2.36 activity while rats administered 400mg/kg body weight of chloroform fraction had the highest percentage glucose reduction of 61.58 % ±4.56 followed by ethylacetate fraction (58.83±2.45), aqueous (53.95 % ±2.56), acetone fraction 52.73 % ±1.56 and n- hexane (19.32 % ±3.56) had the least activity. All fractions of Hunteria umbellata caused a significantly (p<0.05) hypoglycemic effect in dose dependent manner when compared with the diabetic untreated rats (-21.83±2.36). In animals treated with 200mg/kg body weight, the hypoglycemic effect of the Chloroform fraction was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the remaining fractions. Hunteria Umbellata leaf has some hypoglycemic potentials and could be further processed towards the management of diabetes mellitus.