[01] O. Adeyemi, Department of Environmental science, Federal University of Petroleum Resources; Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria. [02] T. T. Makinwa, Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Benin City Nigeria. [03] R. N. Uadia, Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin, Benin City Nigeria.

Effects of ethanolic root extracts of Anchomane difformis ENGL of the family Araceae on normal and alloxan–induced diabetic rats were investigated in 4 groups of rats (6 rats per group). A dose of extract (500mg/kg) was orally administered twice daily to experimental rats for 3 consecutive days. The levels of plasma glucose, urea, creatinine and cholesterol were significantly (p<0.05) increased in diabetic rats following the induction of diabetes. In contrast, there was a significant (p<0.05) decrease in plasma protein and plasma albumin concentrations of diabetic rats compared with normal control rats. Administration of ethanolic extract of Anchomanes difformis ENGL significantly lowered the plasma glucose level (p<0.05) of the diabetic treated rats compared with the diabetic control groups. This decrease is also accompanied by a significant decrease in the plasma urea, creatinine and cholesterol concentrations (p<0.05). The plasma protein and plasma albumin level were brought back to normal. However administration of the plant extract did not show any hypoglycemic effect on normal rats (p>0.05) compared with the control. The results suggest that extract of Anchomanes difformis ENGL is antihyperglycemic and not hypoglycemic with a great potential to attenuate diabetes in rat by a mechanism that suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis.

Anchomanes difformis ENGL, Antihyperglycemic, Diabetic Rats, Ethanol, Extracts, Root

[01] Nathan, D.M.; Buse, J.B.; Davidson, M.B. Medical management of hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a consensus algorithm for the initiation and adjustment of therapy. A consensus statement from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Diabetologia. 2009, 52,17–30 [02] Davidson, S. Diabetes mellitus in: Davidson’s principles and practice of Medicine, 20th Edition. India. Churchill Livingstone Selvier Ltd, 2005; pp. 446, 815-834. [03] Vinik, A.L.; Fishwish, D.T.; Pittenger, G. Advances in Diabetes for the millennium toward a cure for diabetes. Med. Grenmed. 2004, 6,12. [04] Latha, M.; Pari, L. Effect of an aqueous extract as Scoparia dulcis on blood glucose, plasma insulin and some polyol pathoway enzymes in experimental rat diabetes. Braz .J. medical and Biological research. 2004, 37(4), 577-586 [05] Farombi, E.O. African indigenous plants with chemotherapeutic potentials and biotechnological approach to the production of bioactive prophylactic agents: African journal of Biotechnology. 2003, 2(12),662-671 [06] Mahomed, I.M.; Ojewole, J.A. Hypoglycemic effect of hypoxis hemerocallidea corm (Africa potato) aqueous extract in rats. Method find. Exp. Clin. Pharmacol. 2003, 25, 617-623 [07] Loew, D.; Kaszkin, M. Approaching the problem of bioequivalence of herbal medicinal products. Phytother.Res. 2002, 16, 705-711. [08] Oyetayo, V.O. Comparative studies of the phytochemical and antimicrobial properties o the leaf, stem and tuber of anchomanes difformis. J. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 2007, 2(4), 407-410. [09] Burlali, H.M. The useful plant of West Africa family, anchomanes difformis 2nd (Ed), 1985, pp. 196-197. [10] Adegoke, E.A.; Akinsanya, A.; Naqui, S.H. Studies of Nigeria medicinal plants I.A. preliminary survey of plant alkaloids. J. West Africa Sci. Assoc. 1968, 13, 13-33. [11] Atawodi, S.E.; Ameh, D.A.; Ibrahim, S.; Andrew, J.N.; Nzelibe, M. Indigenous knowledge system for treatment of trypanosomiasis in Kaduna State of Nigeria. J. Ethnopharmacol. 2002; 79:279-282. [12] Weatherburn, M.W. Urea-berthelot method, colorimetric manual, Anal.chem. 1967, 39, 971 [13] Bartels, H.; Bohmer, M. Determination of plasma creatinine using colorimetric method. Clin. Chem. Acta. 1972, 37, 193. [14] Trinder, P. Determination of plasma cholesterol using enzymatic hydrolysis and oxidation method. Ann Clin Biochem. 6,24. [15] Tietz, N.W. Clinical guide to laboratory tests. 3rd (Ed). W.B. Saunders Company Philadelphia. PA 1995, pp 518-519. [16] Steel, R.G.O.; Torrie, J.H. Principles and procedures of statistics, McGraw Hill Book Company Inc. London 1960, p. 15. [17] Duncan, D.B. Multiple range and multiple F test. Biomet. 1955, 11,1-10 [18] Tiwari, A.K.; Madhusudape, R.J. Diabetes mellitus and Multiple therapeutic approaches of phytochemicals: present status and future prospects. Current science., 2002, 83, 30-38. [19] Hasani-Ranjbar, S.; Larijani, B.; Abdollahi, M. A systematic review of Iranian medicinal plants useful in diabetes mellitus. Arch Med Sci. 2008, 4, 285–292. [20] Liu, J.P.; Zhang, M.; Wang, W.Y.; Grimsgaard, S. Chinese herbal medicines for type 2 diabetes mellitus.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004, (3), CD003642. [21] Liu, Z.L.; Liu, Z.J.; Liu, J.P.; Yang, M.; Kwong, J. Herbal medicines for viral myocarditis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010, (7), CD003711 [22] Inzucchi, S.E.; Bergenstal, R.M.; Buse, J.B. Management of hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes: a patient-centered approach. Position statement of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD). Diabetologia. 2012, 55, 1577–1596 [23] William, F.G. Endocrine functions of the pancrease and regulation of carbohydrate metabolism in: Review of Medical Physiology, 20th Edition: Lange medical books/McGraw Hill, New York. 1989, pp. 324-338. [24] EL-Demerdash, F.M.; Yousuf, M.L.; Abou, E.N.L. Biochemical study and the hypoglycemic effects of onion and garlic in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Food chem. toxicol., 2005, 43, 57-63. [25] Sochar, M.; Baquer, N.Z.; Mclean, P. Glucose under utilization in diabetes. Comparative studies on the changes in the activities or enzymes of glucose metabolism in rat kidney and liver. Mol. Physiol. 1985, 7, 51-68. [26] Ahmed, L.; Lakhani, M.S.; Gillet.; M.; John, A.; Raza, H. Hypotriglyceridemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of anti-daibetic mormordica charantia (Karela) fruit extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 2001, 51, 155-161. [27] Schafer, G. On the mechanism of action of hypoglycemiaproducing biguanides, a reevaluation and a molecular theory. Biochem Pharm 1976, 25, 2005–2014 [28] Farjou, I.B.; Al-Ani, M.; Gurges, S.Y. Lowering of blood glucose in diabetic rabbits, by Artemisia extract J. Faculty med Baghdad. 1987, 92, 137-141. [29] Foretz, M.; Hébrard, S.; Leclerc, J. Metformin inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis in mice independently of the LKB1/AMPK pathway via a decrease in hepatic energy state. J Clin Invest. 2010, 120, 2355–2369