Ann Complement Altern Med | Volume 2, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access

Justifying Antidiabetic Ethnomedicinal Claim of Senecio biafrae through Its Antihyperglycemic and Anti-Oxidant Activities

Marcus Durojaye Ayoola, Adeleke Clement Adebajo, Francis B Zotor and Martha Gelemete Pinkoane

Department of Pharmacognosy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana Department of Applied and Computer Sciences, Vaal University of Technology, South Africa

*Correspondance to: Marcus Durojaye Ayoola 

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Abstract

Objectives: Increasing trend of urbanization and lifestyle changes, especially a "Western-style" diet are projected to give astronomical leap in world prevalence of diabetes. Anti-hyperglycemic and antioxidant activities of Senecio biafrae was investigated in justifying its folkloric antidiabetic claims in western-Nigeria and Ghana. Methods: Methanolic extract (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) of the whole plant was investigated for antihyperglycemic activity, using normal, glucose-loaded and alloxan induced hyperglycemic rats, while its in vitro antioxidant effects were evaluated using 1,1-dipheny l-2-dipicrylhydrazyl radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power, total antioxidant capacity and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity assays. Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) and appropriate anti-oxidant standard drugs were used as positive controls. Anti-hyperglycemic activity-directed purification of the methanolic extract, using glucose-loaded rats, led to the isolation and characterisation of β-stigmasterol, by comparing its spectral data with those in the literature. Results: Extract (100 to 400 mg/kg) gave significantly (p0.05) time and dose dependent activity in glucose-loaded rats and a significantly higher activity than Glibenclamide in sub chronic alloxanised rats. Anti-hyperglycemic activity of isolated β-stigmasterol, extract and Glibenclamide were comparable, indicating that β-stigmasterol is one of its anti-hyperglycemic constituents. Conclusion: The demonstrated significant anti-hyperglycemic activity and additional anti-oxidant property of S. biafrae, justified its anti-diabetic ethnomedicinal use, β-stigmasterol, operating through both extra pancreatic and insulin stimulating mechanisms of action, is one of its antihyperglycemic constituents, and an additional insulinotropic mechanism of action was suggested for β-stigmasterol.

Keywords:

Senecio biafrae; Anti-hyperglycemic activity; Antioxidant activity; β-Stigma sterol

Citation:

Ayoola MD, Adebajo AC, Zotor FB, Pinkoane MG. Justifying Antidiabetic Ethnomedicinal Claim of Senecio biafrae through Its Antihyperglycemic and Anti-Oxidant Activities. Ann Complement Altern Med. 2019; 1(2): 1006.

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