Comparative studies on the hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities of Vernonia amygdalina delile and Baccharoides tenoreana olive in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats

Abstract

Abstract Background Vernonia amygdalina is a bitter culinary vegetable known to possess anti-diabetic principle. Baccharoides tenoreana belonging to the same species as V. amygdalina, is also used in cooking soup and it is comparatively non-bitter. However, its glycemic properties have not been studied. This study becomes imperative to find out if B. tenoreana possesses hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties and how it compares with V. amygdalina. Should B. tenoreana be better than V. amygdalina, it should be preferable since it is non-bitter and can comfortably be taken compared to V. amygdalina. This study investigated the comparative hypoglycemic and antioxidant potentials of V. amygdalina (VA) and B. tenoreana (BT). Methods Thirty male Albino wistar rats assigned into six groups of five rats per group were used for the study. Diabetes was induced in groups B-F rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate at 160 mg/kg. Groups C-E rats were treated with VA (200 mg/kg), BT (200 mg/kg) and combination of VA & BT (100 mg/kg each) respectively. Group F rats were administered glibenclamide (2 mg/kg) whereas groups A and B rats were given distilled water. All treatments were through the oral administration, once daily for 21 consecutive days. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were determined after 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 24 h, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days while lipid profile, in vivo antioxidant and pancreatic histomorphology were assessed on day 21 post-treatment. Results The VA-treated rats recorded marginally reduced FBG, malondialdehyde and low-density lipoprotein levels when compared to the counterpart treated with BT. The high-density lipoprotein values were significantly higher in VA-treated rats than in BT-treated rats. The histomorphology of the pancreas of VA-treated rats expressed more islet cells compared to the counterpart treated with VT. Conclusion Both VA and BT exhibited hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities with varying potencies.