Antihyperglycemic Effect of Balanites aegyptiaca Leaves Extract-Fractions in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Introduction: The antidiabetic potentials of Balanites aegyptiaca fruit and seed extracts has been reported by several scientific studies. While very few data reported anantidiabetic study of the plant leaf despite it’s used by some traditional medicine practitioners in the management of diabetes mellitus and some ailments. This study, therefore, investigates the effect of Balanites aegyptiaca leaves extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats in a bid to ascertain its antidiabetic potential.

Methods: Dried powdered Balanites aegyptiaca leaves was defatted with hexane and then extracted with ethanol. The ethanol extract was a petition with water and ethyl acetate (1:1 v/v) and then separated. Ethyl acetate (ELF) and aqueous (ALF) fractions obtained were studied for antihyperglycemic activity. Diabetes mellitus was induced in male wistar rats by intra-peritoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight).

Results: The results showed that diabetes-induced in rats was characterized by low serum insulin and hyperglycemia. Treating diabetic rats with extract-fractions of Balanites aegyptiaca leaves slightly elevated serum insulin, lowered fasting blood glucose levels and improved serum lipid profile; total cholesterol, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C toward normal. The aqueous fraction (ALF) was the most potent; it lowered fasting blood glucose by 15. 87% compared to the 24. 62 % fasting blood glucose reduction by metformin. ALF of Balanites aegyptiaca leaves suppressed fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (from 2.19±0.25 to 1.32±0.06 U/min/µmole Pi liberated) and glycogen phosphorylase (from 3.82±0.21 to 2.76±0.02 U/min/mg protein) but enhanced phosphofructokinase (from 2.06±0.07 to 2.52±0.03 U/min/mg protein) and glycogen synthase (from 9.41±0.34 x 10-2 to 14.45±0.16 x 10-2 U/min/mg protein).

Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of the study showed that Balanites aegyptiaca leaves ethanol extract-fractions exerted antihyperglycemic, antilipidemic and glucose enzymes regulatory effects. Further research is needed to explore the leaves bioactive components and their mode of action so that the plant leaves with the bioactive compounds can be used as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for drug medication manufacturing.