1 research outputs found
Effect of Methanolic extract of Musa sapientum leaves on Gastrointestinal Transit time in Normal and Alloxan induced Diabetic rats: Possible Mechanism of Action
Disorders of gastrointestinal motility have been associated with
Diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycaemia particularly has been reported to
inhibit gastrointestinal transit time while glibenclamide, a
sulphonylurea and insulin, both increased transit time. Musa sapientum
has also been reported as an antidiabetic agent but there is dearth of
information on the effect of this plant on gastrointestinal motility.
This study was therefore carried out to investigate the effect of
methanolic extract of Musa sapientum leaves (MEMSL) on Gastrointestinal
Transit time (GITT) in male albino rats with and without hyperglycaemia
and to elucidate possible mechanism by which this extract functions.
Fifty five albino rats were divided into 11 groups of five animals
each. All animals were fasted for 24hrs before the begining of the
experiment. Group 1 served as control; while the remaining groups (2
– 11) were treated with 250mg/kg; 500mg/kg MEMSL; diabetic
control; diabetic treated with 250mg/kg; 500mg/kg MEMSL; diabetic
treated with glibenclamide (5mg/kg); normal rats treated with
Nifedipine (50mg/kg); normal rats treated with calcium chloride (CaCl2)
only (10mg/kg); groups 10 and 11 were both pretreated with CaCl2 and
subsequently treated with 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg MEMSL respectively. All
plant extracts used for treatments were dissolved in normal saline and
administered orally using orogastric tube. Charcoal meal was used as
marker in the estimation of GITT. The study showed significant decrease
in GITT in the normal rats treated with 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg of
extract. However, in the diabetic rats treated with 500mg/kg MEMSL,
there was significant increase in GITT and this is comparable with the
gut response to glibenclamide (5mg/kg). Musa sapientum extract produced
significant decrease in transit time in the calcium chloride
pre-treated normal rats and this is comparable to the effect observed
in Nifedipine treated group. The significant reduction in GITT produced
by MEMSL in the normal rats reflects a strong possibility of MEMSL
acting as calcium channel antagonist through the voltage gated calcium
channel which may be due to the presence of alkaloids, saponins,
cardenolides. There is the possibility of the extract acting as an
inhibitor of potassium channel at higher concentration as observed in
glibenclamide treated groups