Glycaemic, Lipidaemic and Antioxidant Profiles of Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats Treated with Glibenclamide and Aqueous Extract of Gongronema latifolium (Benth)

Abstract

The current study investigated the ameliorative effects of combined therapy of glibenclamide and G. latifolium (GL) on several biochemical parameters of alloxaized Wistar rats. Thirty adult male Wistar rats assigned into 5 groups of 6 rats each were used for the study. Groups 2-5 were intraperitoneally injected with 160 mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate and upon establishment of diabetes (Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) ≥ 126 mg/dl) were treated with 10 ml/kg distilled water (DW), 2 mg/kg glibenclamide, 200 mg/kg GL and 2 mg/kg glibenclamide and 200 mg/kg GL respectively. Rats in group 1 were not made diabetic and served as normal control. All the treatments were realized through daily oral route using gastric tube, for 21 days. Results indicated that the treatment of diabetic rats with a combination of glibenclamide and GL significantly reduced the elevated glucose levels, cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein and malondialdehyde levels, along with increases in the high density lipoprotein, glutathione values and catalase activities, when compared to diabetic untreated group. It was concluded that the combined therapy of glibenclamide and GL showed superior antihyperglycemic, hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effects compared to either of them used alone.