The Effect of Gongronema latifolium Leaf Extract on Blood Biochemical Assay in Diabetic Rats

Gongronema latifolium (GL) is used extensively in the indigenous system of medicine as an anti-diabetic agent. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities of Gongronema latifolium extract in Type 2 diabetic rat models were evaluated using standard analytical methods while Blood was collected on every 3 days through the rat’s tail vein for glucose estimation using One Touch Glucometer. Blood glucose in the diabetic animals decreased significantly (P=.05) from initial by 66.34% upon treatment with Gongronema latifolium. Diabetes induction caused significant increases (P=.05) in total cholesterol (TC) with 54.42% and low density lipoprotein (LDL) with 55.0% compared to the normal control (NC), while treatment with extracts of Gongronema latifolium significantly decreased (P=.05) these by (58.70% TC) and (71.70% LDL) respectively. Also the amino transferases (ALT and AST) parameters activities which increased by 66.83% and 72.87% in the diabetic control (DC) rats became reduced upon treatment with Gongronema latifolium. Thus the plant extract was capable of ameliorating hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and could be a potential source for isolation of new orally active agent(s) for anti-diabetic therapy.