Effect of ethanolic extracts of Persea Americana seed and zea mays silk on blood glucose levels, body and organ weights of alloxan- induced hyperglycemic Albino wistar rats

The effect of ethanolic extracts of Persea americana seed and Zea mays silk on blood glucose levels, body and organ weights of alloxan- induced hyperglycemic Wistar rats was investigated using standard analytical techniques. Thirty male albino rats weighing 120-161g were randomly assigned to six groups of five rats each. Groups 3- 6 were test groups which received 400 mg/kg body weight Persea americana seed single extract, 400 mg/kg body weight Zea mays silk single extract, 400 mg/kg body weight combined extract of Persea americana seed and Zea mays silk and 500 mg/kg body weight combined extract of Persea americana seed and Zea mays silk repectively. Group 1 and 2 served as normal and diabetic controls respectively. Diabetes was induced using 170mg/kg body weight alloxan monohydrate. All the rats received their normal diet and distilled water daily for a period of 28 days. At the end of the experiment, the groups administered 400 mg/kg body weight Zea mays silk single extract and 400 mg/kg body weight combined extract of Persea americana seed and Zea mays silk showed significant (P< 0.05) decrease in fasting blood glucose when compared with the diabetic control. The highest body weight change was observed in the high dose combined extract group followed by the Zea mays silk single extract group. Apart from the kidney and spleen weights, which were significantly reduced in the Zea mays single extract group, there was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in organ weights of the experimental groups compared with the diabetic and normal controls. Persea americana seed increased body and organ weights of experimental animals whereas Zea mays silk decreased same. It may therefore be concluded that Persea americana seed and Zea mays silk are probable hypoglycemic agents.Keywords: Persea americana seed, Zea mays silk, glucose, body weight, organ weigh