Anti-Hyperglycemic and in Vivo Antioxidant Activities of Aqueous Extract of Blighia sapida Stem Bark in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats
Blighiasapida is a plant belonging to the family of Sapindaceae. This study is aimed at evaluating the hypoglycemic and possible in vivo antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract of the stem bark of the plant for 21 days in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Administration of the extract at 100mg/kg body weight significantly (P<0.05) decreased blood glucose levels, increased body weight as well as increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the plasma and liver tissues of diabetic rats. Also, the concentration of reduced glutathione increased in the plasma and liver tissues of the diabetic rats while the levels of malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl significantly decreased in the plasma and liver tissues of alloxan-induced diabetic rats during the course of the experiment. These are indications of antihyperglycemic and antioxidant properties of the stem bark of Blighiasapida with 100mg/kg body weight of the extract showing good hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities by comparing favourably well with metformin, a standard hypoglycemic drug.
