Affiliation:
1. Department of Pharmacy, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
2. Department of Medical Laboratory, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
Abstract
Background Diabetes mellitus prevalence has reached epidemic levels despite the existence of contemporary treatments. People thus started looking at the possible therapeutic value of natural therapies. Crushed shoot tips of Crinum abyssinicum (Amaryllidaceae) are mixed with water in Ethiopia to treat diabetes, yet this practice is not well supported by science. Objective In this experiment, mice models were used to verify the blood sugar and lipid-lowering benefits of solvent fractions of C. abyssinicum shoot tips. Materials and Methods In a single-dose treated Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic model, mice were randomly grouped into eleven categories which include diabetic negative control, diabetic positive control, and 9 diabetic treatment groups. In repeated daily doses treated STZ-induced model, Mice were divided into 6 groups which included normal and diabetic negative control (TW80), diabetic positive control (5 mg/kg glibenclamide), and three diabetic treatment groups 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg). Finally, blood glucose, lipid level, and body weight were examined. Results In the single-dose treated diabetic model, there was a significant blood glucose reduction at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses of aqueous fraction and glibenclamide starting from the sixth-hour post-administration unlike ethyl acetate and chloroform fraction compared to baseline and negative control. In repeated daily dose-treated diabetic mice, all three doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of aqueous fraction) resulted in a substantial reduction ( P < .001) in blood glucose compared to baseline and negative control on the seventh day and 14th day. Besides the AQF shows improvement in lipid levels and body weight parameters. Conclusion The results of the study demonstrated that C. abyssinicum shoot tip fractions have the greatest potential to lower blood sugar and lipid levels, supporting conventional claims for the treatment of diabetes.