Physiology and Biomedical Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Ozougwu, J.C., Physiology and Biomedical Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria; Eyo, J.E., Physiology and Biomedical Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
In view of the varied medicinal applications of Z. officinale, the effects of the increasing dosages of its aqueous extracts on alloxan-induced diabetic Rattus novergicus for possible use in the management of diabetes mellitus was evaluated. Diabetes mellitus was induced in 54 out of a total of 63 adult Rattus novergicus using 150mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate. Increasing dosages (200, 250 and 300mg/kg) of Z. officinale aqueous extracts were given to the diabetic rats for six weeks while the control rats got either normal saline (1ml) or increasing dosages of glibenclamide (2.5, 3.8 and 5.0mg/kg) during the same period. Blood glucose level, total serum lipids and total serum cholesterol were assessed with routine methods. F-LSD was employed to test significant differences (P < 0.05) among treatment means. Increasing dosages of Z. officinale aqueous extracts produced a dose-dependent significant (P < 0.05) reductions in the blood glucose levels, total serum lipid and total serum cholesterol when compared with that of the control rats. The best percentage reduction in blood glucose level, total serum lipids and cholesterol were observed at 300mg/kg. It is possible to conclude from the experimental findings that Z. officinale studied exhibited promising hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. It's hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects could represent a protective mechanism against the development of hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia characteristic of diabetes mellitus.
alloxan; cholesterol; ginger extract; glibenclamide; glucose; lipid; sodium chloride; alloxan diabetes mellitus; animal experiment; animal model; aqueous solution; article; blood glucose monitoring; cholesterol blood level; controlled study; diabetes mellitus; dose response; drug dose comparison; drug dose increase; drug efficacy; drug mechanism; drug screening; glucose blood level; nonhuman; rat; treatment duration