Abstract

Nwankpa Promise, Nwabueze Obinna Stephen and Uche Mercylyn Ezinne*

ABSTRACT

Persea americana has been used in folklore medicine for the management of obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. This research investigated the antidiabetic and biochemical effects of phytochemical characterized ethanol seed extract of Persea americana (ESEPA). The phytochemical characterization of seed extract of P. amaricana (SEPA) was carried out using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). In the acute toxicity study, animals were given oral doses of ESEPA ranging from 0.5g/kg to 5g/kg. Diabetes was inducted using a single intraperitoneal injection of 150mg/kg of alloxan. For the subacute toxicity test which lasted for 14 days, rats were divided into six (6) groups of five animals each. Group 1 was normal control, group 2 negative control, group 3 positive control, groups 4,5 and 6 were given 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg respectively. Group 2-6 rats were all induced with diabetes. Standard analytical protocols were follwed during the experiment. GC-MS analysis revealed 13 bioactive compounds. Animals did not show any signs of toxicity and no death was recorded after administering upto 5g/kg of EPESA to rats. Oral administration of ESEPA resulted in a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the level of blood glucose, packed cell volume, haemogloblin, urea, creatine, aspartate transaminase, alanine transamine, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein when compared with negative control groups. However, plasma levels of albumin, globulin and high density lipoprotein significantly increased (p<0.05) when treated groups are compared with the control. This study showed ESEPA is non-toxic but contains bioactive phytochemical with pharmacological activities such as antidiabetic, antilipidemic, hepatoprotective.