Anti-hyperglycaemic activity of the stem bark of Nauclea latifolia

The study investigated the anti-hyperglycaemia activity of the stem bark of Nauclea latifolia with a view to justifying its anti-diabetic ethno-medicinal claim. The dried and powdered plant material was extracted with methanol and concentrated in vacuo. The extract was tested in glucose-induced hyperglycaemic rats at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg while glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) and normal saline were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The results were statistically analysed using ANOVA, followed by Dunnett or Student–Newman-Keuls post hoc tests. P < 0.05 was considered significant. The results showed that the extract demonstrated a non-dose dependent activity with 100 mg/kg showing the highest anti-hyperglycaemia effect of 31.9 % reduction of blood glucose at fourth hour. The activity of the extract at 100 mg/kg was time-dependent up to the fourth hour and was comparable (P > 0.05) to glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) at all-time points. At 200 and 400 mg/kg, the extract gave comparable activity to glibenclamide at 0-1 h but was significantly less active at 4 h. The result concluded that the stem bark of N. latifolia possessed anti-hyperglycaemic activity.Keywords: Anti-hyperglycaemia, Nauclea latifolia, diabete