Integrated Science Department, Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
This study was carried out to ascertain the folkloric belief in some parts of Northern Nigeria that aqueous stem bark extract of acacia nilotica orally administered is useful in the management of diabetes mellitus. Twenty four (24) non diabetic rats were intragastically administered 15 mg/ml/100g body weight aqueous stem bark extract of acacia nilotica for two weeks. The rats were then sacrificed by decapitation, and the blood collected and liver removed to evaluate the hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities. The administration of the extract to alloxanized rats for two weeks reduced the blood glucose level from 12.20 ± 0.18 mmol/l to 11.59 ± 0.23 mmol/l. Similar insignificant differences were observed for other biochemical parameters studied in the serum and liver homogenate: serum total cholesterol, total lipids, total bilirubin, urea and total proteins. The study thus contradicts claims by herbalist that the extract could improve hyperglycaemic, hyperlipidaemic and metabolic derangements in diabetic patients.
Acacia nilotica, Diabetes mellitus, Hypoglycaemia, Hypolipidaemia
