Effects of butanol fraction of Ziziphus mucronata root ethanol extract on glucose homeostasis, serum insulin and other diabetes-related parameters in a murine model for type 2 diabetes.

CONTEXT

Ziziphus mucronata Willd (Rhamnaceae) is currently used in Nigerian traditional treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, detailed information on the antidiabetic potential of the plant parts is presently unknown.

OBJECTIVES

The present study investigated the antidiabetic effects of the butanol fraction of Z. mucronata root (ZMBF) in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) model of rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

T2D was induced in rats by feeding a 10% fructose solution ad libitum for two weeks followed by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg bw) and the animals were orally treated with ZMBF 150 or 300 mg/kg bw for five days a week for four weeks. Food and fluid intake, body weight changes and blood glucose levels were monitored during the experiment while other blood and organ specific diabetes-associated parameters were measured at the end of the experiment.

RESULTS

After four-week treatment, significantly (p < 0.05) lower blood glucose (19.24 vs 28.96 mmol/L), improved glucose tolerance ability (21.26 vs 28.56 mmol/L), higher serum insulin (131.37 vs 64.20 pmol/L) and liver glycogen (2.40 vs 1.54 mg/g tissue) were observed in the 300 mg/kg ZMBF ingested group compared with the diabetic control group. However, food and fluid intake, body weight gain, HOMA-β, HOMA-IR, serum fructosamine level, hepatic and renal function tests were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by the treatment of ZMBF.

CONCLUSION

Results of this study suggest that ZMBF treatment, at 300 mg/kg bw, possess antidiabetic activity, but could not ameliorate some diabetes-related parameters in type 2 diabetic rats.