Effect of Jatropha curcas Leaf Extract on Pathological Changes in Experimental Diabetes in Rats

Accepted: 27/12/2015 Abstract Twenty five rats were divided into five groups of five rats each. Group I served as healthy control and group II as negative control. The study was conducted for the antidiabetic property evaluation after single injection of alloxan drug at 100 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally followed after 48 hours by the treatment with metformin (300 mg/kg) in group III, hydroethanolic extract of Jatropha curcas leaves (HEJC) (200 mg/kg) in group IV and hydroethanolic extract of Jatropha curcas leaves (400 mg/kg) in group V. Gross lesions could only be recorded in liver and kidneys of group II rats. Microscopic examination revealed vacuolar degeneration and swelling of hepatocytes in liver and enlarged glomeruli in kidneys of diabetic rats. Improvement in metformin and high dose extract treated groups (group V) was observed in the form as evident by mild to moderate degeneration of hepatocytes in liver and moderate swelling of glomeruli. Electron microscopic changes revealed reduction in number of secretory granules, degenerative changes in nucleus and severe destruction of nuclear membrane in alloxan induced diabetic group. Treatment groups, however, showed apparently normal nucleus, mitochondria and moderate increase in number of secretory granules. It is concluded from this investigation that HEJC at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg daily for 14 days produced protective effects on tissue changes and ultrastructral changes in alloxan induced diabetic rats. Thus, HEJC could further be investigated to develop a strategy for herbal remedy for the prevention and treatment of diabetes in man and animals.