Abstract

ANTIDIABETIC PROPERTIES OF COMBINED METHANOL EXTRACTS OF PTERIDIUM AQUILINUM, MUCUNA PURIENS AND NEWBOLDIA LAEVIS (PMN) IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETES IN RATS

Unegbu C. C.*, Ajah O., Onwusonye J. C., Anyanwu O. O. and Duru C. A.

Abstract

The study of natural products has played a major role in the development of novel therapeutic substance with high efficacy. Mucuna puriens, Newboldia laevis and Pteridium aquilinum are known medicinal plants used in the treatment of many diseases. In this study, the use Mucuna puriens, Neuboldia laevis and Pteridium aquilinum as combined graded doses in the treatment of diabetes were evaluated. Diabetes was induced in wistar albino rats using intraperitoneal injection of 140mg/kg of alloxan. Thirty (30) albino rats were randomly divided in 5 groups of 6 rats each (n=6). 5mg/kg of glabenclamide was used as the standard control while different graded doses of the formulation at 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg were administered to the other groups with one untreated group serving as the diabetic control. The study lasted for a period of 21 days. The formulation significantly (p<0.05) lowered the elevated blood glucose level. The % reduction of the 400mg/kg of the combined dose was 59.19% compared to the standard drug 56.45%. There was also significant (p<0.05) decrease in the lipid, hematology indices and markers of cellular toxicity compared to the diabetic control (untreated group). The combined extracts showed more efficacy the glabenclamide. This suggested that the polyherbal formulation enhances therapeutic action and is effective in the treatment diabetes.

Keywords: Polyherbal formulation, Medicinal plants, Diabetes, amelioration,