ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACTS OF MISTLETOE AND MORINGA OLEIFERA IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETES WISTAR RATS

摘要

The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the antidiabetic effect of mistletoe and Moringa oleifera in streptozotocin-induced diabetes Wistar rats. Fifty-four Wistar rats were used in the study. The animals were randomly divided into six groups (n=9). Diabetes was induced in animals in groups 2-4 by single intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin at 70 mg/kg bw dissolved in citrate buffer (0.1m, pH 4.5). Mistletoe and Moringa oleifera were administered to animals in groups 2 and 3, respectively. After expiration of the study, the animals were sacrificed and the pancreas was excised, weighed and homogenized for analysis of insulin, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) using respective diagnostic kits. The results showed that after one week of treatment, 77.78% and 88.9% of the animals in mistletoe and moringa treated diabetic groups became normoglycemic, respectively. There was also a 16.5% and 3% increase in the average body weight for moringa and mistletoe in the third week and 23% and 20.5% increase in the sixth week. The insulin level of mistletoe and moringa treated hyperglycemic groups normalized to near normal. Pancreatic MDA levels in moringa and mistletoe treated groups were significantly lower, while pancreatic SOD and GSH concentrations increased in the extract treated group. It is concluded that moringa and mistletoe possess hypoglycemic properties that can be very useful in the management of diabetic hyperglycemia.