Effects of Hydromethanolic leaves extract of Indigofera pulchra on blood glucose levels of normoglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats

Summary: The effects of the hydromethanolic  extract of Indigofera pulchra on blood glucose levels of alloxan induced and normoglycemic Wistar rats has been investigated. Three doses of the extract (250mg/Kg, 500mg/Kg and 1000mg/Kg) were administered intraperitoneally. The dose of 1000mg/Kg of the extract did not significantly alter the blood glucose levels of Alloxan induced diabetic Wistar rats after 4, 8 and 24 hours of treatment. However, the doses of 500 mg/Kg of the extract did significantly (p<0.05) decrease the blood glucose levels of Alloxan diabetic Wistar rats at 4 and 24 hours while  the dose of 250 mg/Kg of the extract did significantly (p<0.05) decrease the blood glucose levels of Alloxan diabetic Wistar rats at 4, 8 and 24 hours. In normoglycemic rats, the dose of 1000mg/Kg of the extract significantly (p<0.05) decrease the blood glucose levels at 8 and 24 hours only. Also the dose of 500 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) decrease the blood glucose levels at 24 hours while the dose of 250 mg/kg significantly (p<0.05) in the blood glucose levels at 8 and 24 hours. The phytochemical screening revealed the presences of tannins, saponins, flavonoids and steroids. The median lethal dose (LD50) in rats was calculated to be 2,154.1 mg/kg bodyweight. In conclusion, the doses of the extract has shown both significant (p<0.05) hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic effects in Wistar rats. Industrial relevance : The search for more effective and hypoglycemic agents has continue to be an area of research interest, because of the less side effects and easily affordable  medicinal plants has, when compared to the synthetic drugs. Indigofera pulchra is a very virgin plant and promising base on these current findings. The phytochemical screening revealed the present of phenolic compounds, tannins steroids, saponins and alkaloids. Elucidation of those secondary metabolites would be more effective in the treatment of this illness.