Evaluation of the Effect of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Jute Mallow Corchorus Olitorius on some Biochemical Parameters in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Plants form the main ingredients of medicine in traditional system of healing and have been the source of inspiration for several major pharmaceutical drugs. The study was carried out to investigate the effect of the aqueous leaf extract of Jute Mallow (Corchorus olitorius) on Serum blood glucose, protein, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and enzymes activities on normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The aqueous leaf extract was administered orally at a dose of 400mg/kg body weight to both normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Twenty adult male rats were divided into four groups of five rats each, two groups were made diabetic and the other two groups were non-diabetic. One of the diabetic groups was treated with the leaf extract and the second serves as diabetic control. The alloxan was administered intraperitoneal at a dose of 150mg/kg per body weight. The administration of the leaf extract lasted for 28 days. Effect of the extract on blood glucose, protein, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin total cholesterol; triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein concentrations were analyzed. The toxic effect of the leaf extract was determined using biochemical enzyme markers. The photochemical screening of the ethanol extract showed the presences of Alkaloid, Tannins, Resins, Terpenes and steroids, Balsam, Carbohydrate and Phenol, while aqueous extract showed the presences of Alkaloid, Tannins and Resins and chloroform extracts showed the presences of Alkaloid only. Treatment with the extract showed significant (P<0.05) reduction on the serum blood glucose level and other biochemical parameters analyzed. The extract possesses no toxic effect as indicated by the lowering of ALP and ALT levels and may be used for the management of diabetes mellitus.