Effect of Oral Intake of African Locust Bean on Fasting Blood Sugar and Lipid Profile of Albino Rats

Abstract

Background: African locust bean is a condiment believed to be for the people of low class. Its health importance has not been fully known especially to the so-called high class.
 Aim: This study is aimed at investigating the effect of African locust bean on fasting blood sugar and lipid profile of albino rats.
 Methods: African locust bean (ALB) was purchased from a local market at Orita-Challenge area of Ibadan, Nigeria. They were sun dried and milled into powder using an electronic blender. The powder was extracted with n-hexane (40–60°C) in a soxlet extractor for 18 hours. The defatted, dried marc was repacked and then extracted with methanol. The dried marc was extracted with methanol in the soxlet apparatus for 10 hours. The methanol solution was subsequently concentrated in a rotatory evaporator at 40°C. Ten adult male albino rats with body weight between 100 and 120 g were purchased from the Animal Holding Unit of the Department of Physiology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. They were allowed 7 days acclimatization period and were divided randomly into 2 groups of five rats each. Animals in group 1 were administered normal saline solution while those in group 2 were administered extract of African locust bean. The animals were exposed to the African Locust Bean and saline solution at a dose of 3 ml per 100 g body weight 12 hourly via oral route of administration. After fourteen days of administration, the animals were fasted overnight and anaesthetized using diethyl ether. Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture.
 Results: ALB was observed to significantly lower fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol and triglyceride but increased HDL-cholesterol significantly when compared to those of the control group at p<0.05. LDL-cholesterol was not significantly different when animals treated with ALB were compared with those of the control group.
 Conclusion: Increased blood sugar and hyperlipidemia has been implicated in diabetes. Cholesterolgenesis is a major onset of atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, ALB can serve as prophylaxis and remedies for several diseases caused by hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia such as diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Effect of Methanolic Extract of Corchorus olitorius Leaves on Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidaemic Activities in Albino Rats

“…6). This result contradicts the findings of Airaodion et al [21] who reported a non-significant difference in the LDL-cholesterol concentration when animals were treated with African locust bean for 14 days. The combined effect of increased HDLcholesterol (good cholesterol) and decreased LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the present study resulted in an increased HDLcholesterol/LDL-cholesterol ratio in animals treated with C. olitorius leaves when compared with the control group (Fig.…”

“…This suggests that C. olitorius leaves may have an extrapancreatic antihyperglycemic mechanism of action. This is in agreement with the study of Airaodion et al [21] on the effect of oral intake of African locust bean on fasting blood sugar and lipid profile of albino rats. A number of other plants and extracts have also been reported to have an antihyperglycemic and an insulinstimulatory effect.…”

Effect of Methanolic Extract of Vernonia amygdalina Leaves on Glycemic and Lipidaemic Indexes of Wistar Rats

“…This is suggestive that V. amygdalina leaves may have an extrapancreatic antihyperglycemic mechanism of action. This is in agreement with the study of Airaodion et al [25] on the effect of oral intake of African locust bean on fasting blood sugar and lipid profile of albino rats. Several studies has shown that a number of other plants and extracts have an antihyperglycemic and an insulin-stimulatory effect [24,31,32,33].…”

“…6). This result is in agreement the findings of Airaodion et al [25] who reported a nonsignificant difference in the LDL-cholesterol concentration when animals were treated with African locust bean for 14 days but contradicts that of Airaodion et al [24] who reported a significant decrease in the LDL-cholesterol concentration when animals were treated with methanolic extract of Corchorus olitorius leaves for 14 days.…”

“…After the acclimatization period, animals used in this study were allowed to fast for twelve (12) hours before the administration of saline solution and V. amygdalina extract to groups 1 and 2 respectively, the fasting blood sugar was determined according to the method described by Airaodion et al [25]. The tails of the animals were sterilized with 10% alcohol, and cutting the tails using scissors then allowing the blood to touch the test strip which was inserted into a calibrated glucose meter (One touch Glucometer, Acon Laboratory INC. San Diego, USA).…”