Hepatoprotective effects of leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica and Peristrophe bicalyculata in alloxan induced diabetic rat models

This study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica (A.I) and Peristrophe bicalyculata (P.B) on serum lipid profile and liver enzymes activity in diabetic and normal rat models after 14days administration at 500mg/kg b.w. Methods: Forty two (42) albino Wistar rats of both sexes weighing 150–250g were divided into 7 parallel groups of 6 rats each and treated viz: Groups 1 and 2 served as controls (Normal and diabetic) and received placebo, groups 3 and 4 (non diabetic rats) received A.I and P.B twice per day respectively,groups 5 and 6(diabetic rats) received A.I and P.B twice per day respectively while group 7 received 5 iu/kg b.w of insulin subcutaneously per day. There after the animals were sacrificed using choloroform vapour and sera collected and used to assay lipid profile and enzyme activity using standard kit methods of Agape diagnostics, Switzerland. Results: A non significant decrease (P>0.05) was observed in LDL-c and HDL-c concentrations of the diabetic groups treated with combined extracts compared to diabetic control and diabetic groups treated with individual extracts, however, the serum ALT concentration in the diabetic groups treated with A.I and P.B individually and in combined administration showed a significant decrease (P<0.050 compared to diabetic control. Conclusion: The result indicates that alloxan induced hyperlipidaemia may not be ameliorated by treatment with ethanolic leaf extracts of A.I and P.B. However,the two plants extracts individually and in combined administration were efficacious in hepatotoxicity protection associated with diabetes complications.