In vivo antidiabetic activity of aqueous and ethyl acetate leaf extract of Senna singuena (Delile) in alloxan induced diabetic mice

Abstract

The folkloric claims that Senna singuena confers antidiabetic effect to prescribed patients has received long term clinical application accompanied by limited scientific data in support of such claims. This study aimed at bioscreening for hypoglycemic activity of the aqueous and organic fractions of S. singuena in alloxan induced diabetic mice. Type I diabetes mellitus was induced in mice by intraperitoneal administration of alloxan monohydrate followed by graded doses of the aqueous and ethyl acetate leaf extract administered to the experimentally diabetic mice following an overnight fast. The composition of the various phytochemicals of the plant extract was quantitatively assessed using standard procedures. Oral and intraperitoneal administration of the aqueous and ethyl acetate leaf extract caused a significant reduction in plasma glucose level in a dose independent manner in both fractions. The hypoglycemic activity could be attributed to phytoconstituents found in the plant extract. The generated data supports the folkloric claims associating S. singuena with hypoglycemic effects. However, there is need for further studies on this plant to investigate the mechanism of its activity and determine its safety profiles in order to explore possibilities of developing a new antidiabetic drug. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Alloxan monohydrate, Oral and intraperitoneal, Antidiabetic, hypoglycemic, Sennasinguena.