Hypoglycemic Effect of Ethanoic Extract of a Herbal Drugs Formulation Used by Kenyan Herbalists

Diabetes is a condition that is characterized by high blood sugar levels in the human body due to lack of insulin or its insufficient production. The causes are known to be genetic or occupational factors. Conventional diabetes drugs developed lower and manage the blood sugar levels. However, due to their side effects and costs, the drugs have made management of the disease be expensive. Herbal drugs, on the other hand, have been formulated as suitable alternatives. One herbal drug (Diabetic formular®) was obtained from a market in Nairobi, and its ethanolic extract was analysed for anti-diabetic properties and available phytochemicals. Swiss albino rats were used as the diabetic model in the study. The rats were induced diabetes using alloxan. Thereafter, Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), was carried out to confirm if the rats were induced with diabetes. Rats induced with diabetes were then grouped into five groups, (n=5), corresponding to the following treatments: placebo (distilled water), conventional drug (Metformin, 500 mg/Kg) and three doses of the herbal drug extracts (500 mg/Kg, 1000 mg/Kg and 1750 mg/Kg). Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) carried out involved administering glucose (2 g/Kg) followed by the drugs to the various groups, after 30 minutes. This was then followed by monitoring the decrease in blood glucose, in intervals, for a period of 3 hours. The highest dose of the extract lowered the blood glucose level from a peak 373.5 ± 13.6 mg/dL to 167.4 ± 11.4 mg/d. The decrease was found to be comparable to the conventional drug, which lowered the blood glucose levels from the peak 344.7 ± 11.5 mg/dL to 144.0 ± 78.9 mg/dL. The results from phytochemical screening revealed the presence of Saponins, Flavonoids and Tannins. Keywords: Herbal drug, Antidiabetic activity, Ethanolic extract, Blood glucose, Phytochemical screening