Assessment of the Antioxidant Potential of Hypoestes rosea Leafin Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Albino Rats

Aims: The present paper was to investigate possible antioxidant actions of Hypoestes rosea leaf extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in rats.

Study Design: This study is an interventional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the animal house unit of the Department of Anatomy and physiology, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. between February, 2019 and September, 2019.

Methodology: A total of hundred and sixteen (116) albino rats were assigned by weight into Eighteen (18) groups. The duration of the study was fifteen (15) days for acute and thirty (30) days sub-chronic. The study groups comprised of two (2) treatment phases each (prophylactic and therapeutic) with nine (9) experimental groups in each of the study groups. Ten (10) rats each were assigned to the two (2) positive control groups and six (6) rats each were assigned to the other groups. These groups of rats with an average body weight of 201±.65.20 to 232 ± 16.23 g were treated as follows: Healthy rats received de-ionized water (Negative Control); diabetic rats administered with de-ionized water (Positive Control); healthy rats received aqueous extract orally (EC 100 mg/kg body weight) and diabetic rats administered with aqueous extract orally, daily for fifteen (15) days and thirty (30) days (AEHR 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight; Diabetic Treated group). Animals were fasted for 16 hrs, weighed and painlessly sacrificed and blood was collected through the jugular vein on day sixteen (16) and thirty-one (31) after the experimental phases. Blood sample was collected for the determination of SOD and TAC through colorimetric method.

Results: Results showed that the plasma antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity) activities were increased in the diabetic treated group compared to the diabetic control groups.

Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that AEHR can offer protection against diabetic-induced oxidative stress.