The Hypoglycemic Effect of Musa Sapientum in Alloxan Induced DiabeticAlbino Wistar Rat1

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease identified with abnormal high level of glucose in the blood and excretionin the urine. Traditionally, Musa sapietum (banana) is a perennial herb that has been used to lower glucoselevel in the blood of diabetic patients. This research aimed to determine the effect of methanolic extract of Musasapientum (Musaceae) sucker (root) on blood glucose and glutathione levels in alloxan-induced diabetic albinowistar rats and compared with a reference drug, gilbenclamide. Twenty-nine rats were grouped into five.Groups A and B were induced with alloxan and orally administered with methanol extract of Musa sapientumsucker (root) at doses of 5mg/body weight and 10mg/body weight simultaneously for 4 weeks, group C was fedwith normal feed for 4 weeks, group D was induced with alloxan and not treated for 4 weeks while group E wasinduced with alloxan and treated with gilberclimide (drug) for 4 weeks after which the rats were sacrificed andthe levels of fasting blood glucose and glutathione were measured. Tests of homogeneity of variance using One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were conducted. The blood glucose of the rats induced with alloxan onlysignificantly increased while the level of glutathione significantly reduced compared with control showinginduction of diabetes and oxidative stress. Rats treated with Musa Sapientum at doses of 5mg/bodyweight and10mg/body weight lowered the glucose level and increased glutathione level significantly when compared withcontrol and gilbenclamide groups