Antidiabetic and Toxicity Evauation of Aqueous Stem Extract of Ficus asperifolia in Normal and Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Albino Rats

Abstract

Toxicity properties of ficus asperifolia aqueous stem extract on normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats was evaluated in this study. There was a significant decrease (p<0.05) in blood glucose concentration, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol,Low Density Lipoprotein and Very Low Density Lipoprotein and a significant increase (p<0.05) in concentration of High Density Lipoprotein of the extract-treated animals (i.e. animals that received 400mg/kg, 800mg/kg and 1200mg/kg body weight doses) when compared to the diabetic control animals. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in serion AST activity in all the animals that received the various doses (i.e. 400mg/kg, 800mg/kg, and 1200mg/kg body weight) of the extract and also in the ALT activity for the animals that received the various doses fro 7 days and those that received the 1200mg/kg body weight dose of the extract for 21 days. The concentration of serion albumin and total protein significantly fluctuated in the animals while a significant increase (p<0.05) was observed in serion total and conjugated bilirubin concentration in most of the experimental animals. Results obtained in this study show that aqueous stem extract of ficus asperifolia at the doses used possesses antidiabetic properties but may be toxic to the living system.