ANTIHYPERGLYCAEMIC PROPERTY OF TELFAIRIAOCCIDENTALIS (PUMPKIN LEAF) IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC MODEL USING RAT

ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is described as a disease syndrome with a collection of metabolic disorders characterized by chronic hyperglycemia which results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can be said to cause further complications if left untreated, such as; heart attacks, stroke, nephropathy, retinopathy, foot damage, nerve damage and Alzheimer’s disease. There is a traditional claim that Telfairiaoccidentalis leaves can be used in the lowering of blood glucose in diabetic patients and hence it has been used by most African countries as an alternative in the treatment of diabetes. Telfairiaoccidentalis has been said to have a potential anti-diabetic effect and when phytochemical screening was carried out, it contained some constituents like; flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids and tannins . This study evaluates the hypoglycaemic effect of Telfairiaoccidentalis plant in alloxan induced diabetes. The Telfairiaoccidentalis plant was collected and extracted using methanol for 72hrs and the percentage yield was calculated to be 9.3%. Twenty adult wistar rats were weighed and divided four groups. The fasting blood glucose were checked and the rats were induced with diabetes using 160mg/kg alloxan. Group 1 (Negative control) received 10% Tween 20 (10mg/kg), Group 2 (Positive control) received metformin (100mg/kg), Group 3 received Telfairiaoccidentalis plant extract (250mg/kg) and Group 4 received Telfairiaoccidentalis leaf extract (500mg/kg). The rats were treated for 7days and the fasting blood glucose level was checked everyday for the 7 days and the results were recorded. The study revealed that 100mg/kg of Metformin and 500mg/kg of Telfairiaoccidentalis leaf extract showed a significant decrease in the blood glucose level when compared to the negative control (p0.05). 500mg/kg of Telfairiaoccidentalis leaf extract and 100mg/kg of Metformin showed no significant decrease when compared to each other. In conclusion, the work suggests that Telfairiaoccidentalis leaf extract in 500mg/kg concentration has potential hypoglycaemic effect .