The effect of aqueous leaf extract of Adansonia digitata (baobab) on diabetes mellitus and the anterior pituitary of adult male wistar rats

This study was carried out to evaluate the anti-diabetic properties of aqueous leaf extract of Adansonia digitata leaf (ALEAD) on blood glucose level. 36 of the rats were randomly distributed into 9. Group one served as the normal control and Group 2 rats were administered with alloxan (150 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. Groups 3, 4, and 5 were orally administered with alloxan (150 mg/kg) intraperitoneally and aqueous leaf extract of A. digitata (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg) once daily for 2 weeks. Group 6 were orally administered with metformin (150 mg/kg) once daily for 2 weeks. Groups 7, 8, and 9 were orally administered with aqueous leaf extract of A. digitata (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg) once daily for 2 weeks. The serum concentration of glucose of all the rats in each group was determined after the 8th and 15th dose of treatment. Groups 3, 4 and 5 showed a decrease after the first week of treatment but this decrease was not significant (P>0.05). The group treated with metformin (150 mg/kg) also showed a decrease which was also not significant (P>0.05). The result of the qualitative phytochemical analysis of aqueous leave extract of A. digitata indicated the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoid and steroids. These results suggest that the aqueous leaf extract of A. digitata possess anti-diabetic effect on alloxan induced diabetic rats. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Adansonia digitata, anterior pituitary, wistar rats.