Antidiabetic and haematinic effects of Parquetina nigrescens on alloxan induced type-1 diabetes and normocytic normochromic anaemia in Wistar rats.

BACKGROUND The plant, Parquetina nigrescens is used in folklore medicine to treat diabetes mellitus and its complications in several parts of West Africa. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of Parquetina nigrescens extract on fasting blood glucose in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. METHODS The blood glucose levels, complete blood count, erythrocyte indices and osmotic fragility, body and organ weights were evaluated. RESULTS Diabetic rats treated with the extract showed significant (P<0.01) reduction of the blood glucose to levels comparable to that of the non-diabetic control and those treated with chlorpropamide (standard drug). Similarly, there was significant (P<0.01) reduction in the complete blood count in the diabetic rats. DISCUSSION The anaemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia associated with the diabetes were corrected in the animals treated with the extract and chlorpropamide. The extract also reduced the erythrocyte osmotic fragility, body and organ weights. Parquetina nigrescens demonstrated antidiabetic property by reducing the elevated blood glucose in alloxan treated rats which is comparable to animals that received the standard drug. CONCLUSION Paraquetina nigrescens stabilized the erythrocyte membrane, decreased the body weight probably by lowering lipogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying the antidiabetic and haematinic properties of Parquetina nigrescens remains to be elucidated.