HYPOGLYCAEMIC EFFECTS OF ALLIUM CEPA, ALLIUM SATIVUM AND ZINGIBER OFFICINALE AQUEOUS EXTRACTS ON ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATTUS NOVERGICUS

This study compared the hypoglycaemic effects of the increasing dosages of A. cepa, A. sativum and Z. officinale aqueous extract on alloxan –induced diabetic Rattus novergicus for possible use in the management of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus was induced in 108 out of a total of 117 adult Rattus novergicus using 150mg/kg b wt of alloxan monohydrate. Increasing dosages (200, 250 and 300mg/kg bw ip) of A. cepa, A. sativum and Z. officinale aqueous extracts were given to the diabetic rats for six weeks while the control rats got either normal saline (1ml) or increasing dosage of glibenclamide ( 2.5, 3.8 and 5.0mg/kg b wt ip) during the same period. Blood glucose level from each treatment was evaluated using o – toluidine method. F-LSD was employed to test significant differences (P 0.05) among treatment means. Increasing dosages of plants aqueous extracts produced a dose-dependent significant (P 0.05) reductions in the blood glucose levels of diabetic rats after 6 weeks of treatment when compared with that of the control rats. Among the extracts studied, A. sativum at 300mg/kg bw ip gave the best hypoglycaemic effect (79.7% from 314.1±40.4 to 63.9±2.9), A. cepa followed with 75.4% (297.8±37.5 to 73.4±3.0) and Z. Officinale with 56.7% (303.3±35.8 to 147.2±2.3). From the experimental findings, it is possible to conclude that the three plant extracts studied exhibited promising hypoglycaemic activity in alloxan-diabetic rats. The hypoglycaemic effects could repre- sent a protective 2 mechanism against the development of hyperglycaemia common in diabetes mellitus.