## 3 Results and Discussion
### Evaluation of the Antidiabetic Potential of W. Frutsecens Root Extract  
The present study aimed to investigate the in vivo antidiabetic effect of hydroethanol extract from _W. frutsecens_ roots in both alloxan-induced diabetic and normal mice. Alloxan is selectively toxic to pancreatic beta cells by the formation of reactive oxygen species, including nitric oxide ([PERSON] and others, 2014). As a result of the alloxan monohydrate induction dose (180 mg/kg), the diabetic mice model suffered from a severe hyperglyic state (FBG > 450 mg/dL) when compared to the normal mice. Figure 2 represents the different changes that occurred in fasting blood glucose (FBG) during the whole experimental period. Within the first week of treatment, no significant decrease was observed for both doses of WFRE (200 and 400 mg/kg b.w) when compared to the positive control (glibenclamide), \(p<\) 0.001. This result indicated that the WFRE may not have a direct action on the main actors involved in blood glucose regulation, unlike glibenclamide, as an oral hypoglyemic drug that directly controls the release of insulin by beta cells ([PERSON] and others, 2014). From the second week of the experimental period, a significant reduction in BGL was observed in both WFRE extracts and glibenclamide (366 \(\pm\) 27 mg/dL for the dose of 200 mg/kg; 355 \(\pm\) 18 mg/dL for the dose of 400 mg/kg and 281 \(\pm\) 26 for glibenclamide). At the end of the test, there was an important reduction in WFRE since it nearly brought the FBG levels back to those of the positive control (223 \(\pm\) 19 mg/dL for 200 mg/kg; 199 \(\pm\) 14 mg/dL for 400 mg/kg; 133 \(\pm\) 18 mg/dL for glibenclamide). These results indicate a moderate antidiabetic effect of WFRE when compared to the standard antidiabetic drug. At the subacute level, we can suggest that the plant extract does not react directly with the main receptors involved in the development of hyperglycemia since the reduction was not significant until the second week of the treatment period. In this sense, the control of the blood glucose levels of alloxan-induced diabetic mice may be due to stimulation of the residual pancreatic mechanism and potentially by increasing peripheral consumption of glucose or glycogen production in the liver as well as the reduction in gluconeogenesis [18]. A previous work reported that the plant extract could react when raising the concentration of hepatic glycogen and glycogenesis and glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis could decrease whilst enhancing glucose utilization by peripheral tissues [18,19]. Moreover, the antihyperglycemic activity of WFRE may have resulted from the potentiation of the insulin effect either by raising the release of insulin from beta cells of the pancreas or by raising the peripheral consumption of glucose [20,21]. Thus, detailed molecular studies are necessary to deepen the knowledge about the exact mechanism of action that is involved in the antihyperglycemic activity. The roots of _W. frutscens_ could be beneficial for long-term use as their effects can take a certain amount of time to show up. Concerning the long-term appearing effect, the hyperglycemic test approved this theory, as displayed in Figure 3, showing that during the 12 h of the test, the different doses of the root extract did not manage to lower the FBG. The blood glucose level was subjected to a slight decrease over time until the sixth hour of the test (256 mg/dL for 200 mg/kg and 211 mg/dL for 400 mg/kg); however, when the time-effect finished, the BGL started increasing again at the 12 th hour of the test (297 mg/dL for the dose 200 mg/kg and 267 mg/dL for the dose of 400 mg/kg). Thus, the antihyperglycemic and the antidiabetic tests confirmed our suggestion on the long-term effect of the plant root extract. Table 1 represents changes that occurred in body weight and biochemical parameters of alloxan-induced diabetic mice during the whole period of dosing (28 days). Nontreated diabetic mice showed a large decrease in body weight associated with hyperglycemia.