Effects of butanol fraction of Ziziphus mucronata root ethanol extract on glucose homeostasis, serum insulin and other diabetes-related parameters in a murine model for type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Context: Ziziphus mucronata Willd (Rhamnaceae) is currently used in Nigerian traditional treatment of diabetes mellitus. However, detailed information on the antidiabetic potential of the plant parts is presently unknown.

Objectives: The present study investigated the antidiabetic effects of the butanol fraction of Z. mucronata root (ZMBF) in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) model of rats.

Materials and methods: T2D was induced in rats by feeding a 10% fructose solution ad libitum for two weeks followed by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg bw) and the animals were orally treated with ZMBF 150 or 300 mg/kg bw for five days a week for four weeks. Food and fluid intake, body weight changes and blood glucose levels were monitored during the experiment while other blood and organ specific diabetes-associated parameters were measured at the end of the experiment.

Results: After four-week treatment, significantly (p < 0.05) lower blood glucose (19.24 vs 28.96 mmol/L), improved glucose tolerance ability (21.26 vs 28.56 mmol/L), higher serum insulin (131.37 vs 64.20 pmol/L) and liver glycogen (2.40 vs 1.54 mg/g tissue) were observed in the 300 mg/kg ZMBF ingested group compared with the diabetic control group. However, food and fluid intake, body weight gain, HOMA-β, HOMA-IR, serum fructosamine level, hepatic and renal function tests were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by the treatment of ZMBF.

Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that ZMBF treatment, at 300 mg/kg bw, possess antidiabetic activity, but could not ameliorate some diabetes-related parameters in type 2 diabetic rats.

Keywords:

• Buffalo thorn
• β-cell function
• liver glycogen
• insulin resistance
• blood glucose
• glucose tolerance

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank David Mompe, Tolu Tellawani, Lolloh Sithole and Shoohana Singh for their technical assistance during the study.

Disclosure statement

The first author was awarded a PhD study fellowship by the Education Trust Fund desk office, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria and a doctoral research bursary from the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.