Abstract
BACKGROUND: Synclisia scabrida is commonly used in traditional medical practices for the management of diseases like diabetes and its complications. This study seeks to establish a scientific rationale for this practice. METHODS: Thirty Wistar rats were randomly and equally grouped into six. Alloxan was used to induce diabetes in the rats in groups 2 to 6. The diabetic rats in group 2 were treated with glibenclamide, while those in group 3 were not treated. Also, the diabetic rats in groups 4, 5 and 6 were, respectively, treated with the ethanol extracts of the stem, root and leaf of S. scabrida. After 28 days of treatment, blood and organ samples were collected for biochemical studies. RESULTS: S. scabrida possesses high amounts of useful phytochemicals. It also exhibits high total reducing capacity, FRAP activity, DPPH and ABTS scavenging ability. The inhibition of the α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities by the methanol extracts of S. scabrida stem, leaf and root were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of glibenclamide. Administration of S. scabrida extracts to the alloxan-induced diabetic rats caused significant (p < 0.05) decreases in the blood glucose, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP of the treated groups as compared to that of the untreated group. Treatment with the extracts also resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) lower LPO and significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of GSH, SOD and CAT. CONCLUSION: S. scabrida extracts exhibited antioxidative, hepatoprotective and hypoglycaemic properties which are similar to that of the standard drug, glibenclamide.