Effects of methanol leaves extract of Justicia carnea on blood glucose level and lipid profile in alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats

The ameliorative effect of Justicia carnea on blood glucose level and lipid profile in alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats was evaluated. The animals were grouped into seven groups of five rats each. Diabetes was induced in the rats intraperitoneally with 120 mg/kg body weight (BW) of alloxan except group 1 and 3 which served as the normal and extract controls respectively. Group 2 served as alloxan-treated control. Groups 4, 5 and 6 were induced with diabetes and administered with Justicia carnea leaf extract at different doses of 200, 500 and 1000 mg/kg BW respectively,group 7 was induced with diabetes and treated with Diabenese at a dose of 50 mg/kg BW. The result of the pilot study conducted on different concentrations of alloxan (120, 140, 160 and 180 mg/kg BW) showed mortality of rats at concentrations above 120mg/kg BW of alloxan. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease was observed in blood glucose levels of groups 4, 5, 6 and 7 when compared with the alloxan –treated control. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease was observed in the serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein levels in the groups treated with 200, 500 and 1000mg/kg BW of Justicia carnea and 50mg/kg BW of diabenese (group 4, 5, 6 and 7) when compared with the alloxan-treated control. However, the level of serum high density lipoprotein showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the groups treated with 200, 500 and 1000mg/kg BW of Justicia carnea and 50mg/kg BW of diabenese (group 4, 5, 6 and 7) when compared with the alloxan-treated control (group 2). The results of the study showed that methanol leaves extract of Justicia carnea exhibited antidiabetic activities against alloxaninduceddiabetes in albino rats in a dose dependent manner and this suggests that the leaves of Justicia carnea could be used to manage diabetes mellitus thus prevent most of the health complications associated with the condition. Keywords: Alloxan, Blood glucose, Diabetes, Justiciacarnea, Lipid peroxidatio