Autoregulatory glycemic activity of the aqueous extract of cashew apple cake (Anacardium occidentale L.)

Type II diabetes is a concern for the whole world, given the ever-increasing number of people suffering from this pathology and the limitations of oral anti-diabetics. Agro-resources also possessing undeniable therapeutic effects represent an alternative in the fight against this pathology, hence our interest in the cashew apple. In addition to its nutritional potential, the cashew apple is used as an anti-diabetic. In the present study, the aim will be to evaluate these anti-hyperglycemic properties. In normo-glycemic mice, Aqueous extract of cashew apple, causes an increase in blood sugar. However, for increasing concentrations of cashew apple, ranging from 50 to 250 mg /Kg b.w., the glycemic peaks of these increases decrease from 56.14 to 61.02%. In mice made hyperglycemic, the aqueous extract of cashew apple with the same concentrations, shows a double activity on hyperglycemia induced by glucose at 3g/Kg b.w. For concentrations below 175 mg/Kg b.w., cashew apple has an anti-hyperglycemic effect which varies between 38.27 and 59.57%; on the other hand, above the tolerant dose of 200 mg/Kg b.w., cashew apple causes an 11.19 to 28.22% increase in glucose-induced hyperglycemia. The phytochemical screening of aqueous extract of cashew apple revealed the presence of tannin which could be at the origin of the anti-hyperglycemic effect of this natural essence. The toxicological study has shown that cashew apple, with an LD50 much greater than 1000 mg/Kg b.w., is not toxic. These data indicate that the aqueous extract of cashew apple cake may therefore contribute to the control of diabetes, provided that the concentrations of this extract do not exceed the tolerable dose in the presence of another hydrate source of carbon.