Antihyperglycemic and Anti-inflammatory Effects of African parquetina Leaf in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism that poses a major threat to public health. This study investigated the curative potential of African Parquetina leaf extract in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups and exposed to streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight), except for Group I rats, fed only with rat feed and distilled water. After the induction of diabetes, all rats except those in Group II (which were not treated with the extract) were post-treated with A. Parquetina leaf extract at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight and metformin at 12.5 mg/kg body weight. Fasting blood glucose levels, interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-6 (IL-6), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), α-amylase, α-glucosidase, hexokinase, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and caspase-9 were measured following established methods.

STZ-induced diabetic rats exhibited decreased hexokinase activity but increased α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities relative to the non-diabetic rats. Administration of A. Parquetina leaf extract (100 and 200 mg/kg b.w.) resulted in a marked activation of hexokinase activity and inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities relative to controls. Levels of caspase-9, IL-6, and KIM-1 were notably (p < 0.05) increased, while IL-10 levels were decreased in STZ-induced diabetic animals. Treatment with A. Parquetina leaf extract dose-dependently restored the levels of all deranged inflammatory, apoptotic, and diabetes biomarkers to values comparable with those in non-diabetic animals. The findings from the study support the use of A. Parquetina as an antidiabetic agent in traditional medicine.