ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECT OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF Copaifera salikounda (HECKEL) AGAINST ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETES IN RATS
Authors: Aloke Chinyere , Igwe Emmanuel , Obasi Nwogo , Amu Pascal , Ogbonnia Egwu 
Published: July 2021

Accumulating evidences have reinforced the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of various ailments as a result of negative side effects associated with conventional drugs. Plant components such as phenols and flavonoids with antioxidant potential have confirmed protective roles against oxidative stress-induced degenerative diseases like diabetes mellitus (DM). The current study was carried out to investigate the effect of seed pod ethanol extract from Copaifera salikounda (SPEECS) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. SPEECS was obtained by maceration of seed pod powder in absolute ethanol for 72 h, filtered, concentrated and dried in-vacuo. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) technique was used to quantitatively elucidate the chemical constituents of SPEECS. Twenty-four male albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups (n=6): normal control, DM control, DM + 200 mg/kg SPEECS and DM + 400 mg/kg SPEECS groups. DM was induced in the Wistar albino rats through intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg body weight of alloxan. After 14 days of treatment, the body weight changes and the fasting blood glucose level were determined in the different groups. Also, serum biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were estimated. The GC-MS results confirm nine bioactive compounds with 9-octadecenoic acid (55.75%) being most abundant. SPEECS (200 and 400 mg/kg) administration significantly (P < 0.05) caused gain in weight, decreased fasting blood glucose and reversed the elevated liver function enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) while total TP and ALB were markedly elevated relative to DM control group. Furthermore, SPEECS attenuated the activities of SOD and CAT while the level of MDA was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in dose dependent manner in comparison to the DM control. This study indicated that SPEECS can alleviate hyperglyceamia of DM. Key words: Copaifera salikounda; oxidative stress; medicinal plants; diabetes mellitus; phytochemicals; orthodox ANTIDIABETIČNI UČINEK EKSTRAKTA ETANOLA Copaifera salikounda (HECKEL) NA SLADKORNO BOLEZEN, SPROŽENO Z ALLOXAN-om, PRI PODGANAHIzvleček: Obstaja vedno več dokazov, ki poudarjajo uporabnost zdravilnih rastlin pri zdravljenju različnih bolezni, tudi zaradi različnih negativnih stranskih učinkov, povezanih s konvencionalnimi zdravili. Rastlinske sestavine kot so fenoli in flavonoidi z antioksidativnim potencialom, imajo po nekaterih raziskavah zaščitno vlogo pred degenerativnimi boleznimi, ki jih povzroča oksidativni stres, kot je sladkorna bolezen diabetes mellitus (DM). Študija je bila izvedena z namenom raziskovanja učinka etanolnega semenskega ekstrakta iz rastline Copaifera salikounda (SPEECS) pri podganah s sladkorno boleznijo, ki jo je povzročil alloxan. SPEECS je bil pridobljen z maceracijo praška semen v prahu v absolutnem etanolu 72 ur ter nadaljnjo filtracijo, koncentracijo in sušenjem v vakuumu. Za kvantitativno ugotavljanje kemijskih sestavin SPEECS je bila uporabljena tehnika plinske kromatografije in masne spektrometrije (GC-MS). Štiriindvajset samcev podgan Wistar je bilo naključno razporejenih v štiri skupine (n=6): normalna kontrola, kontrola DM, DM + 200 mg/kg SPEECS in DM + 400 mg/kg SPEECS. DM je bil pri podganah sprožen z intraperitonealno injekcijo 200 mg/kg telesne mase alloxana. Po 14 dneh zdravljenja so bile pri različnih skupinah določene spremembe telesne teže in nivo glukoze v krvi (na tešče). Poleg tega so avtorji raziskave izmerili še nekatere serumske biokemične parametre kot so ravni alaninske aminotransferaze (ALT), aspartatne aminotransferaze (AST), alkalne fosfataze (ALP), albumina (ALB), skupnih proteinov (TP), malondialdehida (MDA), superoksiddismutaze (SOD) in katalaze (CAT). Rezultati GC-MS so v izvlečku SPEECS pokazali devet bioaktivnih spojin, v katerih je največ 9-oktadecenojske kisline (55,75%). SPEECS (200 in 400 mg/kg) je povzročil znatno (P <0,05) povečanje telesne mase, znižanje glukoze v krvi na tešče in znižal raven encimov pokazateljev jetrne funkcije (ALT, AST, ALP), medtem ko je bila raven TP in ALB pri podganah, ki so prejemale SPEECS izrazito povišana v primerjavi z DM kontrolno skupino. Zdravljenje s  SPEECS je tudi oslabilo aktivnosti SOD in CAT, medtem ko se je raven MDA znatno zmanjšala (P <0,05) v primerjavi s kontrolno skupino DM. Ta študija je pokazala, da lahko SPEECS ublaži hiperglikemijo pri sladkorni bolezni pri podganah.Ključne besede: Copaifera salikounda; oksidativni stres; zdravilne rastline; sladkorna bolezen; fitokemikalije; ortodoksni