Re-evaluating the effi cacy of the aqueous leaf extract of Bridelia ferrugenia and its potential combination with metformin in the management of diabetes mellitus

Herbal medicinal products play a significant role in the management of diabetes and other chronic diseaseseither as a monotherapy or in combination with allopathic treatments. The hypoglycemic activity of a Ghanaianherbal antidiabetic product (Bridelia Tea) prepared from the dried leaves of Bridelia ferrugenia [BRD] was reevaluatedin this study with the view of improving, its activity and explore the possible benefit of using theproduct in combination with metformin (MET). Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (210-220 g) were renderedhyperglycemic by a single intraperitoneal administration of streptozocin (70 mg/kg) after an overnight fast. Thehyperglycemic rats then received one of the following treatments ([BRD 30 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg], [MET 250 mg/kgor 1000 mg/kg], [MET 250 mg/kg and BRD 30 mg/kg], [MET 1000 mg/kg and BRD 300 mg/kg]). The hypoglycemiceffect of BRD, MET, and the combination of the two products were not significantly different during an initial6 h of monitoring (P > 0.05). In the long-term study over 28 days, BRD 300 mg/kg had hypoglycemic effectscomparable to MET 1000 mg/kg p.o. and better than BDF 30 mg/kg p.o. (P < 0.05). However, the combination ofthe two products BRD and MET at the two doses reduced their therapeutic effect compared to animals receivingeither one of the two treatments alone

Antiplasmodial and Genotoxic Study of Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants

Ethnopharmacological Relevance. Development of resistance to antimalarial drugs by Plasmodium falciparum is still rampant, and there is an urgent need for novel drugs to either standalone or to partner artemisinin for treatment of malaria. Traditionally, plants have, over the years, been a good source of antimalarial drugs. Efficacy and safety of such plants need to be scientifically authenticated. Aims, Materials, and Method. This study investigated the in vitro antiplasmodial activity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity of aqueous extracts of Acanthospermum hispidum DC, Alstonia boone (De Wild), Cocos nucifera L, Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, Morinda lucida Benth, Psidium guajava, Phyllanthus niruri L, and Senna siamea Lam. Results. Five out of the eight plants, A. boonei stem bark, S; siamea Lam root, M. lucida Benth leaves, P. niruri, and A. hispidum DC whole plants, showed varying degrees of antiplasmodial activity against the asexual stage of the parasite. The most active extract against chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and chloroquine-resistant (Dd2) P. falciparum strains is the A. hispidum extract which yielded a mean inhibitory concentration at 50% (IC50) of 3.66 µg/ml and 3.71 µg/ml for 3D7 and Dd2, respectively. This was followed by S. siamea Lam with 3.95 µg/ml for 3D7 and 4.47 µg/ml for Dd2. The IC50 values of the A. boonei extract against 3D7 and Dd2 P. falciparum parasites were 5.13 µg/ml and 3.62 µg/ml, respectively. For the M. lucida Benth extract, the least IC50 value was 6.46 µg/ml. All five extracts exhibited dose-dependent antiplasmodial activity. Assessment of the genotoxic effects the A. hispidum extract by the comet assay revealed substantial damage to P. falciparum DNA. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that the crude extract of A. hispidum DC, one of the plants used traditionally to treat malaria, inhibits the growth of P. falciparum in vitro and could be a potential source of antimalarial drug. The report has highlighted genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of the selected plant extracts on human leukocytes as well