Abstract

This research was designed to investigate antihyperglycaemic impact of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf on alloxan-induced diabetic male wistar rats. Diabetes is a metabolic disease linked to weakened sugar metabolism. Managing diabetes devoid of any adverse effect remains an issue to health system. Therefore, there is an increase in the search for better anti-diabetic medicine. M. oleifera leaves were air-dried, grinded, sieved and the aqueous extract was prepared. Twenty male wistar rats were used and these rats were grouped into four groups, five rats in each group. Group 1 and group 2 rats were diabetes induced groups treated with 100 and 400 mg/kg of aqueous extract of M. oleifera leaf respectively, group 3-diabetic untreated group, group 4-control group. Fasting blood glucose level, uric acid level and C-reactive protein level were measured by oxidase method, Uricase-PAP method and turbilatex method respectively. Results of this research work showed a significant increase in the fasting blood glucose level, uric acid level and C-reactive protein level in rats that were diabetic when compared with the control rats. However, treatment with 100 and 400 mg/kg of aqueous extract of M. oleifera leaf for a period of four weeks brought the fasting blood glucose level, uric acid level and C-reactive protein level toward the basal level significantly (P<0.05). The study showed that the aqueous extract of M. oleifera leaf has the potential to lower the elevated fasting blood glucose, uric acid and C-reactive protein levels toward the basal level in alloxan-induced diabetic male Wistar rats.

Key words: Hyperglycaemia, Moringa oleifera leaf, fasting blood glucose, uric acid, C-reactive protein, health system, metabolic disease.