Hypoglycemic Activity of Aqueous and Ethylacetate Leaf and Stem Bark Extracts of Pappea capensis in Alloxan-induced Diabetic BALB/c Mice

The present study was performed to determine the optimal dose of alloxan monohydrate required to induce diabetes in male BALB/c mice and investigatein vivo hypoglycemic activity of aqueous and ethylacetate leaf and stem bark extracts of Pappea capensisLin alloxanized diabetic BALB/c mice.In addition, the proximate composition of P. capensis powder was investigated. The seven groups used in determining the optimal alloxan dose to induce diabetes included the normal mice intraperitoneally administered with a single dose of 0.1ml physiological saline and doses of 50.0, 77.6, 120.4, 186.9, 290.0 and 480 mg/kg body weight in 0.1 mL of physiological saline. Blood glucose levels was determined at 0, 24 and 48 h using a glucometer.The hypoglycemic activity of aqueous and ethylacetate extracts was studied in the normal and diabetic mice orally administered with 0.1ml physiological saline; diabetic mice orally administered with 0.075 mg glibenclamide, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg extract all in 0.1ml physiological saline. Blood glucose levels was determined at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h, respectively. The proximate composition of P. capensis powder was estimated using standard procedures.Results show that asingle dose of alloxan at 186.9 mg/kg body weightadministered to 3-5 weeks old mice induced stable diabetes in 48 h; oral administration of ethylacetate leaf and stem bark extracts at 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight induced hypoglycemic activity in a dose independent manner which was similar to that of glibenclamide at 3 mg/kg body weight from the second to the twenty-fourth hour.Total ash and lipid were higher while the crude protein and carbohydrate were lower in leaves compared to the stem barks. In conclusion, P. capensis is a nutritious plant whose ethylacetate extracts possess in vivo hypoglycemic activity.