DIABETIC WISTAR RATS

Aqueous extract of Gongronema latifolium was examined for its hepatoprotective properties. For a week, 98 male Wistar rats—which weigh between 120 and 150g each—were kept in orderly, quiet cages and given access to grower mash as needed to aid in their acclimatization. Groups of rats were separated out. The weight range of each group member was typical for the entire group. As a result, at the start of the experimental period, the rats had reached an average weight of 150–200g. Animals in Group 1 just got food and water as a standard control. In groups 2, 3, 4, and 5, diabetes was produced. Streptozotocin was used to stimulate the group 2 rats, however they were not given any medication. Streptozotocin was used to stimulate group 2 rats, but they were not given any further treatment, making them the negative control group. Metformin was used to initiate and treat the group 3 rats. Group 4 rats received 200mg/kg body weight of the bvaqueous fraction, and group 5 received 400mg/kg of the aqueous fraction. The results of the fasting blood glucose levels (mg/dl) of the rats in each group were: group 1, 84.40±2.50a, group 2, 348.10±10.20d, group 3, 108.50±6.20c, group 4, 160.20±1.25d, group 5, 150.12±2.50d, for each group respectively. The average body weights of the rats in each group were: group 1, 13.99±0.14, group 2, -21.44±0.11, group 3, 18.13±0.18, group 4, -13.72±0.11, group 5, 11.91±0.22. Gongronema latifolium significantly (p0.05) decreased fasting blood glucose level, raised albumin level, decreased ALT and AST level, and increased body weight in rats when administered at doses of 200 mg/kg body weight and 400 mg/kg aqueous fraction, respectively.

Arsenic trioxide, widely used in industry and medicine, poses significant risks of cardiotoxicity by inducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and damage to cardiac tissue. Azanza garkeana, a medicinal plant rich in bioactive compounds, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, offering potential cardioprotective effects by mitigating oxidative damage and preserving cardiac function. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Azanza garckeana on arsenic trioxide-induced cardiotoxicity in adult Wistar rats. Thirty (30) Wistar rats were randomly divided into six (6) groups of five (5) rats each. Group A served as the control group and receive 1 ml of distilled water. Group B received 100 mg/kg body weight of Arsenic trioxide only. Group C received 100 mg/kg body weight of Arsenic trioxide + 500 mg/kg body weight of Azanza garckeana. Group D received 100mg/kg body weight of Arsenic trioxide + 1000mg/kg body weight of Azanza garckeana. Group E and Group F received 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight of Azanza garckeana only, respectively. Rats received oral administration for 28 days. The rats were sacrificed afterwards and heart tissues were harvested and processed for routine haematoxylin and eosin staining. Results showed some histological alterations: hypertrophic cardiomypathy, vascular dilatation and congestion, perivascular infiltrates of inflammatory cells, evidence of myocarditis in rats treated with arsenic trioxide only. However, there were significant improvements in the rats treated with arsenic trioxide and Azanza garckeana evidenced by normal histological features: branching and anastomosing myocardial fibres with centrally-located nuclei. In conclusion, findings from this study showed that Azanza garckeana protects against arsenic trioxide-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats.

A multifaceted metabolic illness termed diabetes mellitus, causes the development of insulin resistance, hampered insulin signaling, malfunction of the beta cells, abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation, and elevated oxidative stress. Conventional drugs used for diabetes treatment are associated with drawbacks, such as rigid dosing regimens, high cost, and side effects. Therefore, screening for new anti-diabetic compounds from natural plants used in folk medicine is still attractive for their efficacy, low incidence of side effects, and low cost. Folkloric information that Tetrapleura tetraptera has anti-diabetic effect has prompted the use of the root bark of this plant for research into its anti-diabetic effect, and anti-oxidant effect. T. tetraptera roots has been shown to be rich in saponins, which led to the design of this study to investigate the effect of saponins extracted from T. tetraptera (TTS) on the enzymatic oxidative status of streptozotocin induced diabetic Wistar rats. The study investigated the effect of T. tetraptera(TTS) on: serum and tissue total protein; and superoxide dismutase (SOD); catalase; and glutathione-S-transferase activities in the serum and tissues of streptozotocin induced diabetic Wistar rats. T. tetraptera saponins (TTS) was administered orally via gavage at different doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg body weight to streptozotocin induced diabetic Wistar rats in group 4, 5, and 6 respectively. The standard drug metformin was administered to group 3, group 1 was the normal control, and group 2 animals were the untreated diabetic group. Treatment lasted for 12 weeks. After treatment, total protein; superoxide dismutase (SOD); catalase; and glutathione-Stransferase was assayed for in the liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, and testis. The result showed a significant increase in total protein concentrations in almost all the tissues especially at lesser dose of 10 mg/kg TTS, while again at 10mg/kg TTS treated group, there was a significant elevation in SOD levels of both serum and the liver. Treatment with saponins from T. tetraptera caused significant (p<0.05) increase in catalase activities in the serum and kidney. It was lastly observed that administration of saponins from T. tetraptera increased GST activities significantly (p<0.05) in the serum and kidney. This study has shown that total saponins from T. tetraptera especially at 10mg/kg TTS body weight could scavenge free radicals which is very important in the management of diabetes mellitus.