EVALUATION OF ANTI-DIABETIC AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF CITRULLUS LANATUS (WATERMELON) SEEDS AND MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVES IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC WISTAR RATS

Ngaski A. A.*, Muhammad M., Mainasara A. S., Suleiman N., Nuhu A., Dallatu M. K. and Jidda M. L.

ABSTRACT

The use of natural products as a means of treatment for many physiological threats such as diabetes is currently gaining momentum in Nigeria. Diabetes is a metabolic syndrome that afflicts an estimate of 143 million people and that oxidative stress plays a vital role in the development of its related complications. Hence this study was aimed at investigating the hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties of Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seeds and Moringa oleifera leaves in Alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. A total of thirty rats were divided into six groups of 5 rats each: Group I: Non Diabetic Control, Group II: Diabetic Control without treatment, Group III and IV represents Diabetic rats administered with ethanolic leaf extract of Moringa (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight). Group V and VI represent Diabetic rats treated with watermelon seeds (200mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weight). At the end of the experiment, rats were fasted overnight and blood samples were collected under chloroform anaesthesia for the estimation of fasting blood glucose and antioxidant vitamins A, C, E using standard techniques. The results indicated a significant increase (p<0.05) in blood glucose and a significant decrease (p<0.05) in antioxidant vitamins A, C and E in diabetic rats compared to non diabetic control. All the rats treated with ethanolic leaf extract of M. oleifera and C. lanatus seeds recorded a significant decrease in glucose level after 14days. The result indicated a significant increase (p<0.05) in antioxidants A, C and E in diabetic Wistar rats supplemented with 200mg and 400mg of M. oleifera leaf extract except for vitamin E which was not significantly increased (p>0.05) in diabetic rats treated with the low dose of M. oleifera leaf (200mg) when compared with the corresponding values in the diabetic control. There is a significant increase (p<0.05) in vitamin A and E in diabetic Wistar rats treated with Citrullus lanatus seeds with no significant (p>0.05) difference in serum level of vitamin C in diabetic rats supplemented with both 200mg and 400mg C. lanatus seed extract compared to diabetic control. These findings indicate that C. lanatus seed and M. oleifera leaves extracts possesses hypoglycaemic and antioxidant properties.

Keywords: Diabetes, Citrullus lanatus, Moringa oleifera, Antioxidant vitamins, Alloxan.