WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Idio Imoubong Raphael, Mike-Raph Chinecherem Nwachukwu and Mikailu Suleiman*

ABSTRACT

Elevated blood glucose level is a characteristic of a chronic metabolic disorder which may be due to either insufficient insulin production or impaired insulin action. Drugs that elicit hyperglycemia as a side effect has a serious limitation. This study aimed to evaluate the antihypergylcermic potential of Averrhoa bilimbi L. Oxalidaceae leaves extracts in dexamethasone treated mice. The leaves of the plant were dried, pulverized and screened for phytochemicals using standard methods. The powdered leaf was successively extracted with n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol. The extracts were concentrated at 40ºC and kept in desicator for studies. Mice were grouped, allowed to acclimatized and then treated with dexamethasone (5 mg/kg) for 7days. Thereafter treatment commenced according to their grouping with doses (200, 400 and 800 mg per kg) for 21 days Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) levels were monitored across treatment groups on day 0, 7, 14 and 21 using glucometer. Phytochemical analysis of Averrhoa bilimbi leaves extracts revealed the presence of Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides and Absence of Anthraquinones. All extracts significantly reduced the Fasting Blood Glucose levels in treated mice when compared to untreated control. These findings support the use of A. bilimbi as a complementary treatment in the use of dexamethasone.