Bioprospecting for hypoglycemic activities and safety of selected traditionally used plants used traditionally in the management of diabetes mellitus
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Date
2014
Authors
Makori, Wycliffe Arika
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorder arising either due to relative or absolute
deficiency of a digestive hormone; insulin. It also arises as a result of the inability or resistance
of the body cells to utilize the available insulin. The disorder completely throws the metabolism
of dietary carbohydrates, fats and proteins into disarray. This condition in its fully developed
form is characterized by high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia), glycosuria, increased protein
breakdown, ketosis and acidosis. Diabetes is a chronic medical condition which though can be
controlled lasts a lifetime. Conventional management of diabetes mellitus is expensive and
therefore unaffordable and sometimes not available to many patients especially in developing
and underdeveloped nations. Such antidiabetic drugs have been found to have side effects with
long term use. These have facilitated the continued usage of the traditional and herbal medicines
in the underdeveloped and developing nations. Experimental data on the active component,
safety and ethno-medicinal plants is unknown and this has led to their under-utilization. The aim
of this study is to identify through bioassay-guided screening, safety, toxic components and the
hypoglycemic/antidiabetic activity present in five selected medicinal plants. The following herbs
will be studied; Lippia javanica, Ocimum lamiifolium, Croton macrostachyus, Azaritchta indica,
and Persea americana. The in-vivo hypoglycemic activity and safety of the extracts will be
screened in white male alloxan-induced diabetic albino mice. The extracts will be administered
orally and intraperitoneally. The safety of these plant extracts will be studied by administering
450mglkg, 670mglkg and 1000mglkg body weight orally and intraperitoneally daily for 30 days.
Some of the parameters to be scored include: changes in body and organ weight, full
hemoglobin, biochemical parameters and cell damage/histology. Mineral composition of the
extracts will be analyzed using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence system (TRXF) while
various phytochemicals present will be assessed using standard procedures. The study will
confirm use of these herbs in the management of diabetes mellitus and establish the safety and
efficacy profiles of the above traditional herbal medicines.
Description
Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology