Antihyperlipidemic Activities and Hematological Properties of Ethanol Extract of Blighia Sapida Koenig Bark in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Blighia sapida (BS) has been shown to be rich sources of antioxidant, thus, we evaluated effects of B. sapida Koenig stem bark ethanol extract (BSE) on lipid metabolism and hematological indices in diabetes rats.

Thirty male rats were divided into six groups of five rats each. Diabetes was elicited by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (65 mg/kg body weight) once and orally administered with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), B. sapida extract (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight (bw) once daily for 21 days. Serum lipid profile, markers of hepato-renal toxicity and hemato-logical indices were examined using automated analyzer. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically different.

Diabetic untreated animals showed considerably elevated total cholesterol p < 0.05, also, significant increase in AST, ALT, ALP, urea and creatinine compared to control. Triglycerides, LDL-c, VLDL-c, AI and CRI decreased with extract administration and HDL-c increased considerable compared to untreated diabetic rats. Furthermore, significant lower hemoglobin (Hb) levels, packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBCs) levels, white blood cells (WBCs) compared to normal animals was recorded in the untreated group. These changes were returned to normal after the administration of extract 50, 100 and 150 mg/ kg body weight. Hence, these effects were most prominent in the animals treated with 150 mg/kg body weight of B. sapida bark.

This indicates that B. sapida stem bark possess anti-hyperlipidemic activity and improved the biochemical parameters within the hematological profile of diabetic rats.