Effects of Strophanthus hispidus DC. (Apocynaceae) aqueous root extract on antioxidant status in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Strophanthus hispidus is a multipurpose medicinal plant which has been reported to have diverse medicinal uses in the treatment of sexual diseases, malaria, dysentery, stroke, heart failure, gonorrhea, arthritis, diabetes, snake bites, constipation, inflammatory, rheumatism and ulcers. This study investigated the hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects of Strophanthus hispidus aqueous root extract, using the activities of superoxide dismutase, total peroxidases, gamma glutamyl transferase, glutathione - S- transferase , glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, as well as the concentrations of glucose, glutathione, vitamin C, nitric oxide, total thiols and malondialdehyde as indices. Forty rats were divided into five (A, B, C, D and E) Groups. Group A served as control, Group B were streptozotocin – induced diabetes mellitus untreated rats, Group C were streptozotocin – induced diabetes mellitus rats treated with 600μg/ kg body weight of glibenclamide, Group D and E were streptozotocin – induced diabetes mellitus rats treated with 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively for fourteen consecutive days. The concentrations of blood glucose, nitric oxide and malondialdehyde were significantly (p< 0.05) decreased in all the Groups that received the different doses of extract as compared with the negative control Group (Group B). In conclusion, Strophanthus hispidus aqueous root extract exhibited hypoglycemic and antioxidant functions.