Enhancement of Bilirubin Excretion in Alloxan - Induced Diabetic Rats Treated with Crude Aloe vera Gel

This study was aimed at determining the effect of type 1 diabetes mellitus on bilirubin excretion, and to ascertain the impact of treatment with crude Aloe vera gel on bilirubin excretion. The phyto-constituents and median lethal dose of the plant material were determined before administration. Forty albino wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups of 10 rats each as follows; control group, alloxan - induced diabetic untreated group (DM), alloxan - induced diabetic treated group (DMT) and control treated group (CT). The dose of crude Aloe vera gel used for this study was 0.2ml/100g body weight daily, per oral route. Biliary total bilirubin (BTB) and serum total bilirubin (STB) concentrations were significantly (p<0.001) increased in the DM group compared to control, DMT and CT group. BTB and STB concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.001) in DMT group compared to DM group. BTB and STB concentrations were significantly reduced in the CT group compared to control. Biliary conjugated bilirubin (BCB) and serum conjugated bilirubin (SCB) concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.001) in the DM, DMT and CT group compared to control. BCB and SCB concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.001) in the DMT group compared to DM group. BCB and SCB concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.001) in the CT group compared to control. Biliary unconjugated bilirubin (BUB) and serum unconjugated bilirubin (SUB) concentrations were significantly increased (p<0.001) in the DM group compared to control, DMT and CT group. BUB and SUB concentrations were significantly reduced (p<0.001) in CT group compared to control. These results are suggestive of the fact that crude Aloe vera gel enhances excretion of bilirubin in diabetic and normal conditions. Keywords Aloe vera, Bilirubin, Bile, Diabetes Mellitus, Seru

Comparative Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Viscum album (Mistletoe) and Aloe vera gel in the Management of Streptozotocin -Induced Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract This study was aimed at comparing the efficacy of leaf extract of mistletoe with that of Aloe vera gel in the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Thirty six albino wistar rats weighing 180 -220 g were randomly divided into 6 groups of 6 rats each, thus; Group 1 -control; group 2 -diabetic untreated group; group 3 -diabetic group, treated with 0.4 ml/100g Aloe vera gel; group 4 -diabetic group, treated with 150 mg/kg mistletoe leaf extract; group 5 -control animals, treated with 0.4 ml/100g Aloe vera gel; group 6 -control animals, treated with 150 mg/kg mistletoe leaf extract. Administration of extracts was done per oral route and lasted for 21 days. Fasting blood glucose, water intake, food intake and body weight were measured during the study. Mistletoe treated diabetic group had a significantly (P&lt;0.001) lower fasting blood glucose (FBG) level compared to diabetic untreated group. Aloe vera treated diabetic group had a significantly (P&lt;0.001) lower FBG level compared to mistletoe treated diabetic group. Both extracts significantly (P&lt;0.001) reduced mean daily water and food intake in the diabetic rats. Aloe vera treated diabetic group had a significantly (P&lt;0.05) lower mean daily food and water intake compared to mistletoe treated diabetic group. Both extracts significantly (P&lt;0.001) increased body weight in the diabetic rats. Aloe vera treated diabetic group had a significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher body weight compared to mistletoe treated diabetic group. The Aloe vera treated control group had a significantly (P&lt;0.001) higher body weight compared to mistletoe treated control group. Unlike Aloe vera gel which increased the body weight of diabetic and normal animals significantly, mistletoe leaf extract was found to increase the body weight of diabetic animals minimally and reduced the body weight of normal animals significantly (P&lt;0.05) compared to control. On the basis of the results obtained from this study, we therefore conclude that Aloe vera gel proved to be more beneficial in the management of type 1 DM compared to mistletoe leaf extract

Aloe vera and garlic ameliorate thermoxidized palm oil-induced haemostatic derangement in albino Wistar rats

This study examined the effects of Aloe vera and garlic on haemostatic status of rats fed thermoxidized palm oil diet (TPO). 35 male Wistar rats (140-170 grams) used in this study were randomly assigned five groups (n=7): Control, TPO, TPO + garlic juice (TPO+G), TPO + Aloe gel (TPO+A) and TPO + garlic/Aloe gel (TPO+G+A). TPO diet was prepared by mixing 85 g of rat chow with 15 g of thermoxidized oil. The juice and gel were orally administered at doses of 2 ml/kg and 6 ml/kg respectively. After three months, the rats were sacrificed and blood collected through cardiac puncture for analysis. Plasma fibrinogen was significantly (P<0.001) reduced in TPO group compared to Control, whereas, fibrinogen increased in all treated groups. Platelet count was significantly (P<0.001) decreased in TPO compared with control. Platelet count was significantly decreased (P<0.001) in TPO+G compared to TPO and control, but significantly (P<0.001) increased in TPO+A, and TPO+G+A compared to TPO. Prothrombin and clotting times were significantly increased (P<0.001) in TPO and TPO+G compared to control. Bleeding time was significantly increased (P<0.001) in TPO compared to control, but significantly reduced in TPO+A compared to TPO. Chronic consumption of TPO has deleterious haemostatic by reducing plasma fibrinogen, platelet count and causing an increase in prothrombin, clotting and bleeding times. However, these debilitating effects were seen to be markedly ameliorated following separate and combined administrations of Aloe vera gel and garlic juice. Additionally, Aloe vera gel seemed to have a more significant effect compared with garlic juice