Abstract:
Poor lipid and glucose regulation increases the risk for the development of major cardiovascular diseases and
other organ damage. The study evaluated the serum glucose and lipid lowering effects of the 70% ( v/v) ethanolic
leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia (ALC) using the dexamethasone-induced diabetic rat model. Thirty six
female Sprague-Dawley rats (180-200g; n=6) were rendered hyperglycaemic with dexamethasone (10 mg/kg, sc)
once daily for 8 days except the normal control. Each group received either normal saline 0.5 ml/rat, ALC (250
mg/kg, p.o. or 500 mg/kg, p.o.), glibenclamide (5 mg/kg, p.o.) or atorvastatin (5mg/kg, p.o.) as treatment once
daily for 8 days. Fasting blood glucose (FBS) readings were recorded at baseline, day 4, 6 and 9. Blood was
collected for the estimation of serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoproteins (LDL),
very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) on day 9. The diabetic control group
had significantly raised FBS levels (8.20 ± 1.04 mmol/l; ***p<0.001). Glibenclamide (5.20 ± 0.29; ***p<0.001)
and the extracts [(ALC 250 mg/kg, p.o.; (5.35 ± 0.95 mmol/l); *p<0.05); ALC 500 mg/kg, p.o.; (5.98 ± 1.12
mmol/l); *p<0.05)] prevented an increase in FBS level. The herbal extracts also reduced the level of serum lipids
of rats treated. The 70% (v/v) ethanolic leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia has some potential for use in lipid and
glucose control.
