Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, PMB 5323, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Oct 11;137(3):1415-24. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.08.015. Epub 2011 Aug 16.
The leaves of Acalypha wilkesiana are used in Southern Nigeria for the management of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. In this study, the effect of aqueous extract of the leaves of Acalypha wilkesiana on the hematology, plasma biochemistry and ocular indices of oxidative stress was investigated in alloxan induced diabetic rats.
Diabetes mellitus was induced by injection of alloxan (80 mg/kg body weight), via the tail vein. The extract was administered orally at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg (both to normal and diabetic rats), and metformin at 50mg/kg.
On gas chromatographic analysis of the extract, twenty nine known flavonoids were detected, consisting mainly of 29.77% apigenin, 14.97% quercetin, 11.12% naringenin, 10.62% kaempferol, 9.05% (-)-epicatechin and 4.04% (+)-catechin. Tannic acid and β-sitosterol were also detected. Compared to test control, the treatment lowered (significantly, P < 0.05) plasma glucose, triglyceride, conjugated bilirubin levels, atherogenic index of plasma, plasma alanine transaminase activity, total protein and total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase activity and unconjugated bilirubin, plasma urea, blood urea nitrogen and ocular malondialdehyde contents, lymphocyte and monocyte counts, and not significantly, plasma very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, but increased (significantly, P < 0.05) plasma calcium contents, total white cell and platelet counts, mean cell volume and ocular ascorbic acid content, and (though not significantly) plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol level, red cell and neutrophil counts.
This study showed that the extract was hypoglycemic, positively affected the hemopoietic system and integrity and function (dose dependently) of the liver and kidney of the diabetic rats; improved the lipid profile and had no deleterious effect on red cell morphology. It also protected against oxidative stress in ocular tissues. This study also revealed the presence of pharmacologically active compounds in the leaf extract. All of these highlights the cardioprotective potential of the leaves of Acalypha wilkesiana and support its use in traditional health practices for the management of diabetes mellitus.
在尼日利亚南部，人们用 Acalypha wilkesiana 的叶子来治疗高血压和糖尿病。在这项研究中，我们研究了用水提 Acalypha wilkesiana 叶提取物对糖尿病大鼠的血液学、血浆生化和眼内氧化应激指标的影响。
通过尾静脉注射 80mg/kg 体重的链脲佐菌素来诱导糖尿病。提取物以 100、200 和 300mg/kg（正常和糖尿病大鼠）和 50mg/kg 的二甲双胍进行口服给药。
在提取物的气相色谱分析中，检测到 29 种已知的类黄酮，主要由 29.77%的芹菜素、14.97%的槲皮素、11.12%的柚皮苷、10.62%的山奈酚、9.05%的（-）表儿茶素和 4.04%的（+）儿茶素组成。还检测到鞣酸和β-谷甾醇。与测试对照相比，治疗组（显著，P < 0.05）降低了血浆葡萄糖、甘油三酯、结合胆红素水平、血浆致动脉粥样硬化指数、血浆丙氨酸转氨酶活性、总蛋白和总胆红素、天冬氨酸转氨酶活性和未结合胆红素、血浆尿素、血尿素氮和眼内丙二醛含量、淋巴细胞和单核细胞计数，以及血浆极低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（虽不显著）显著升高，但显著（P < 0.05）增加了血浆钙含量、总白细胞和血小板计数、平均细胞体积和眼内抗坏血酸含量，以及（虽不显著）血浆高密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平、红细胞和中性粒细胞计数。
本研究表明，提取物具有降血糖作用，对糖尿病大鼠的造血系统以及肝肾功能（剂量依赖性）有积极影响；改善血脂谱，对红细胞形态无不良影响。它还能防止眼组织的氧化应激。本研究还揭示了叶提取物中存在具有药理活性的化合物。所有这些都突出了 Acalypha wilkesiana 叶的心脏保护潜力，并支持其在传统健康实践中用于治疗糖尿病。
