Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder resulting from a defect
in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, manifesting in
hyperglycaemia, polyuria, glucosuria etc. Various regimens have been
used to alleviate the symptoms of this disorder; notable in orthodox
medicine is insulin. Rothmannia Hispida herb extract is also used to
manage DM by traditional healers. This study was therefore designed to
establish the relative potency of insulin and R. hispida leaves extract
in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. 20 male albino Wistar rats were
randomly assigned into 4 groups of 5 rats each. Group 1 (control)
received normal rat chow + drinking water. Groups 2 - 4 in additional
to control diet received alloxan treatment (150mg/kg i.p once). Seven
days after, groups 3 (diabetic extract treated, DET) and 4 (diabetic
insulin treated, DIT)) were further treated with R. hispida extract
(100mg/kg, once daily) and protamine-zinc insulin (1unit) respectively.
Their body weight, food intake, urine volume, urine and blood glucose
levels were monitored daily. Results showed that after 7 days alloxan
treatment, rats in groups 2 – 4 had significantly higher blood
glucose, urine output, food intake, urine and blood glucose levels
compared with controls. At day 14, the blood glucose level of DET (4.40
± 0.52mmol/L) and DIT (4.10 ± 0.48mmol/L) were significantly
(P<0.001) lower compared with diabetic untreated - DUT (22.00 ±
0.00mmol/L). Terminal urine glucose was absent in control, DET and DIT
but was recorded in DUT (42.60 ± 6.14mmol/L). Terminal urine
output was also significantly (P<0.001) lower in DET (8.60 ±
1.17ml) and DIT (8.80 ± 0.80ml) compared with diabetic untreated
group (44.00 ± 1.48ml). The DUT and DIT were also observed to have
negative growth rates (-4.86g/day and -0.29g/day respectively), whereas
the controls and DET had positive growth rates (5.70g/day and 0.14g/day
respectively). Terminal blood glucose levels and urine output were not
significantly different between DET and DIT groups. We therefore
conclude that both insulin and Rothmannia hispida leaves extract
reverses symptoms (hyperglycaemia, polyuria, glucosuria) in diabetic
rats, while the extract was more effective in restoring body weight
than insulin. Therefore, 100mg/kg body weight of the Rothmannia hispida
leaves extract is equally potent as 1 unit of protamine-zinc insulin as
an anti-diabetic agent