Evaluation of the Effect of Ethanol Seed Extract of Telfairia. occidentalis on the Hepatic Health of Diabetic Rats.

ABSTRACT


Introduction
Physiologically, the liver is saddled with critical life sustaining tasks [1] which include metabolism and detoxification of xenobiotics which when lost may translate to death [2]. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common progressive disease which occurs when the Beta-cells of the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin and or resists insulin [3]. The concerted effort of enhanced oxidative stress and aberrant inflammatory response constitute the mechanism of diabetes induced hepatic damage which activates the transcription of pro-apoptotic genes and consequent damage to the hepatocytes [4].
In recent years, plants have received much attention as a local instrument of therapeutic significance believed to be relatively safe for human and animal use and their use in the treatment of diabetes mellitus is not an exception. Telfairia occidentalis locally called ugu by the people of the South-Eastern Nigeria is a member of the Curcurbitaceae family [5]. Its leaf is rich in antioxidants and has been reported to have hepatoprotective, anti in-flammatory and immune boosting properties [6] among others. Although the seed produced by the gourd has been found to be rich in protein and fat and has been employed in the treatment of diabetes mellitus [7], there is paucity of data on whether or not its anti-diabetic potential will translate to improved hepatic health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS Plant Material
Fresh and mature pods of T. occidentalis were bought from a local market in Nasarawa Local Govenment Area of Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The pods were sliced open and the seed removed and washed. The seed coat was removed and the endosperm dried at room temperature before being ground to fine powder. The seed powder was soaked in 96% ethanol for 2 hr. The extract obtained was filtered and concentrated with a rotary evaporator. The brownish residue obtained was dried in desiccators.

Induction of Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kg body weight of alloxan [9]. Three days afterwards, the blood sugar level was determined with the aid of a glucometer (Acc-cheek Advantage Roche diagnostics GmbH, Germany) and the rats with fasting blood glucose level more than 126 mg/dl (11.1mmol/L) were considered diabetic hence selected for the study.

Biochemical Analysis
Rats were orally administered with T. occidentalis seed extract for 14 days after which the rats were fasted overnight, anesthetized with chloroform before being sacrificed 24 hour after the last treatment. Blood sample was collected and used to assay for AST, ALT and ALP.

Liver Function Test (LFT)
Blood sample was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min. The obtained clear serum was used for measuring the levels of ALT, AST and ALP using commercially available kits according to the standard procedures [10]

Statistical Analysis
Data generated were expressed as Mean ± Standard Deviation using SPSS (Ver. 23). Data were analysed using one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Differences in mean were compared using Turkey Test. p-values less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION
It has been revealed through research that diabetes mellitus is linked to liver dysfunction characterized by elevated serum level of serum hepatomarkers [11] and insulin resistance as well as compensatory hyperinsulinaemia have been implicated [12]. Table 1 shows the effect of ethanol extract of T. occidentalis seed on the activity of liver enzymes in diabetic rats. The activity of aspartate transaminase in diabetic; untreated rats was significantly (P<0.05) high (26.00±133 U/I). However, this was significantly (P<0.05) reduced to (21.33±0.66 U/I) and 22.00±1.15 U/I) following oral administration of 100 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg of T. occidentalis seed extract respectively. Similarly, the activity of Alanine transaminase (ALT) was significantly (P<0.05) high in diabetic rats, this was significantly (P<0.05) reduced following oral administration of extract in a dose dependent manner. Evidently, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was significantly (P<0.05) raised in diabetic rats (Group II) (71.00±2.08 U/I). This was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in a dose dependent manner (65.67±1.76U/I) and (63.33±6.23 U/I) with 100 mg/kg and 250 mg/kg of T. occidentalis seed extract respectively. The decreased activity of the serum hepatomarkers in diabetic rats administered with T. occidentalis seed extract could be as a result of the antidiabetic property of T. occidentalis seed evident by the finding of Olorunfemi et al. [7].