Ameliorative effect of crude and solvent partitioned fractions of Gymnema sylvestre in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic and dyslipidemic Rattus norvegicus

The present study aims to evaluate the ameliorative effect of crude and solvent partitioned fractions of Gymnema sylvestre in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic and dyslipidemic rats. The extract and fractions of Gymnema sylvestre were administered to alloxan (120 mg/kg) induced diabetic rats at doses of 100, 300, and 600 mg/kg. Metformin (100 mg/kg) was used as the reference drug. All treatments were administered daily for 14 days through the oral route. Effects of the treatments on blood glucose levels, body weight, and serum lipid profiles were monitored. The results revealed that all the extracts and fractions were able to reduce the blood glucose levels and improved the body weight of diabetic rats, with more pronounced effects at the treatment of 300 mg/kg of crude methanol and ethyl acetate fraction. The blood glucose of diabetic untreated rats continued to increase up to the time of euthanization. There were significant reductions (p<0.05) in the levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of all the treated groups when compared to the diabetic untreated. However, a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the serum concentration of high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL- C) was observed in the diabetic untreated rats when compared to the HDL-C levels in the treated rats. The ameliorative effect of the crude extract and the partitioned fractions on the diabetic induced alterations in serum lipid profile occurs in a significant (p<0.05) dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, G. sylvestre extracts possess hypoglycaemic effects and attenuated diabetic induced dyslipidemia in rats