| Summary, etc |
This study was designed to investigate the effect of methanol leaf extract of Vernonia<br/>amygdalina on the kidney and liver functions of Streptozotocin induced diabetic wistar rats.<br/>Twenty-five healthy, young adult male rats (115-220g) were divided into five groups of five<br/>rats each. Group 1 (Normal control) received water and feed, groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received<br/>Streptozotocin (45mg/kg) by inter-peritoneal injection to induce diabetes. Group 3 rats were<br/>administered with metformin for seven (7) days, and the rats in group 4 were administered<br/>with 150mg/kg of Vernonia amygdalina methanol leaf extract seven (7) days, while the rats<br/>in group 5 were administered with 300mg/kg of Vernonia amygdalina methanol leaf extract<br/>for seven (7) days. The body weight and fasting blood glucose of animals were taken at Day<br/>1, day 4 and Day 11 before they were sacrificed and the organs were weighed and obtained<br/>for biochemical assay analysis. The results suggested that Vernonia amygdalina methanol<br/>leaf extract caused a significant decrease in FBG levels of Groups 4 and 5 animals, and<br/>Metformin caused a low amount of decrease in Group 3 animals. Vernonia amygdalina<br/>methanol leaf extract also caused a significant increase in weight of Groups 4 and 5 animals<br/>as compared to Groups 3 and 2. Relative liver and kidney weights were decreased as<br/>compared to that of the control.<br/>In conclusion, the effect of Vernonia amygdalina methanol leaf extract shown in the present<br/>study implies a pharmaco-therapeutic and protective role in liver and kidney functions in<br/>Streptozotocin induced diabetic wistar rats. The results of the phyto-chemical screening<br/>showed the presence of some basic phyto-chemical components in Vernonia amygdalina.<br/>The GCMS analysis displayed hexa-decanoic acid, methyl ester, cis-13Octadecenoic acid,<br/>methyl ester, 9, 12 Octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z), and Phytol as the organic components with<br/>the highest percentages. |
