blood glucose

The use of different solvents to extract plant materials is to obtain component of utmost activity for the management of various disease conditions. Cocoa powder was subjected to different menstruum (aqueous, ethanol, n-hexane and chloroform) to remove inert materials and obtain pure active components whose effect was determined. Diabetes was induced in forty female Albino rats divided randomly into five groups, each consisting of eight rats, using 120mg/kg body weight alloxan. Different extracts of the powder were administered orally for twenty one days at a dose of 200mg/kg each except in the diabetic untreated group. Fasting blood sample was collected from the tail vein daily to determine the blood glucose concentration. On 22nd day, fasting blood samples were collected from all the rats for lipid profile estimation. Results showed a significant decrease (P

The leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (OG) and Vernonia amygdalina (VA) had been of medicinal interest mainly due to their respective antioxidant and antihyperglycaemic properties. A daily dose of 0.5gKg-1 body weight aqueous leaf extracts of OG, VA and 50:50 (OG+VA) was orally administered to three different rabbit groups for 28 days, fed ad libitum. The control group was given only 2mlKg-1 of normal saline daily. Fasting blood glucose concentration was monitored with a digital glucometer. From the SPSS (version 15) multivariate analysis (p=.05), results showed that the mean fasting blood glucose concentrations of normal rabbits used was 5.98±0.5 mMolL-1. Only VA lowered fasting blood glucose within 24 hours and maintained the hypoglycaemia for 72 hours; VA potentiated OG after 72 hours and later synergistically lowered fasting blood glucose concentration. This study suggested that VA and (OG+VA) were time-dependent hypoglycaemic: while consumption of VA had acute effect, (OG+VA) could preferably be used for longer prophylaxis of diabetes. Therefore, further researches are recommended on the efficacy of this herbal combination therapy.