A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF VERNONIA AMYGDALINA LEAF EXTRACT ON GLUCOSE AND HISTOLOGY OF THE PANCREAS IN ALLOXAN INDUCED ALBINO RATS

Brisibe Ngozi, Nwachuku Edna Ogechi and Elekima Ibioku*

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease caused by insulin deficiency by pancreatic β cells or due to inability to respond to insulin produced leading to high blood glucose concentrations which may result in damage of some body organs including blood vessels and nerves. The increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Africa has necessitated the quest for natural remedies for its treatment and management. This work tested the efficacy of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract (Bitter leaf) on alloxan induced diabetic rats as well as demonstrated the histological features of the pancreas when not induced or treated, induced and untreated then induced and treated. The study was carried out on 34 adult albino Wister rats which were divided into three (3) groups; A (neither induced nor treated), B (induced and untreated), and C (induced and treated). Comparisons between groups A (6.15±0.85) mmol/l and B (9.81±3.76) mmol/L showed fasting blood glucose significantly high and between A and C (induced and treated with 1.6g/kg bodyweight of Vernonia amygdalina extract), there was no significant change in the fasting blood glucose level (P=0.4545). Comparison between groups B and C (6.41±0.53) showed fasting blood glucose level significantly decreased t (P=0.0036). Furthermore, the research indicated histologically that Vernonia amygdalina extract ameliorated the damage caused by the diabetogen (alloxan) on islets β cells of Langerhans in the pancreas upon administration of the leaf extract for 21 days on daily basis.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus is a Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract for 21 days on daily basis.