HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECTS OF THE AQUEOUS SEED EXTRACT OF HUNTERIA UMBELLATA K. SCHUM IN NORMAL AND STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

Diabetes is often accompanied by lipid abnormalities, which contribute significantly to cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. The seeds of Hunteria umbellata (k.Schum) are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes. In this study, aqueous extract of H. umbellata (400, 800 and 1000 mg/kg) was tested for its possible lipid-lowering activity in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. The extract showed significant reduction in massive loss of body weights at 400 mg/kg (-11.0 ± 4.30, p<0.01) and 800 mg/kg (-10.8 ± 2.01, p<0.01) in diabetic rats. There was also a significant reduction (p<0.05) in total cholesterol and triglycerides at 400 mg/kg (-20.91 ± 5.30, -99.59 ±32.18) and 800 mg/kg (-124.03 ± 37.98) of the extract respectively in diabetic rats. Acute toxicity studies revealed that the extract was slightly toxic (LD50 = 1.66 g/kg) when administered intraperitoneally. The authors infer that aqueous seed extract of H. umbellate may be is effective in controlling blood glucose levels and improving lipid profile in diabetic conditions.