EXTENUATING EFFECTS OF Terminalia catappa LEAVES AND Persea americana SEED EXTRACTS ON STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED LIPIDS PERTURBATION AND PANCREATIC DAMAGE IN DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus develops either due to insufficient insulin secretion or lack of insulin resulting from damaged pancreas beta cells. Dyslipidaemia is an acute complication in diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the extenuating effects of T. cattapa leaves and P. americana seed aqueous extracts on streptozotocin-induced lipids profile perturbation and pancreatic damage in experimental rats. Thirty male albino rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 5). Group 1: (negative control), group 2: 80 mg/kgbwt streptozotocin (positive control), group 3: (80 mg/kgbwt streptozotocin + 200 mg/kgbwt T. catappa leave extract), group 4: (80 mg/kgbwt streptozotocin + 200 mg/kgbwt Persea americana seed extract), group 5: (80 mg/kgbwt streptozotocin + 200 mg/kgbwt extracts-mixture), group 6: (80 mg/kgbwt streptozotocin + 5 mg/kgbwt glibenclamide (standard drug). A single dose of streptozotocin was administered to the rats intraperitoneally; the extracts and glibenclamide were administered orally for 21 days, after which their pancreas was excised for histology. Thereafter, extracts of T. catappa leaves and P. americana seed on serum lipid levels imbalance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Histological studies showed a degenerative effect of the pancreatic islet cells of strotozotocin-induced groups. Results showed improvement in the regulation of lipid metabolism as well as the regeneration of the beta cells of pancreas on treatment with T. catappa leaves and P. americana seed. The extracts both equally exert significant antidyslipidemic effects in diabetic rats, in view of the extenuating effects of the extracts on pancreatic islet cells.