Effect of ethanolic leaf extracts of Medicago sativa, Gongronema latifolium and Pterocarpus sanalinoides on the liver integrity of alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats

The study investigated the effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Medicago sativa (MS), Pterocarpus santalinoides (PS) and Gongronema latifolium (GL) on the liver function profile and organ histology integrity of alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. Sixty male rats were divided into 10 groups, made up of 1 group each of normal, diabetic, and positive controls, 3 treatment groups each of the single and pairwise extract combinations, and 1 group of the ternary extracts combination. Hyperglycaemia was induced in the treatment groups by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan at 150 mg/kg body weight. The positive control was treated with metformin (100 mg/kg), while the extracts were administered via oral intubation to the single (200 mg/kg of each extract), double (combination of 2 extracts at 100 mg/kg each) and ternary (combination of the 3 extracts at 66.7 mg/kg each) treatment groups for a total period of 4 weeks. Induction of diabetes significantly (p<0.05) increased AST, ALT and ALP activities and total bilirubin concentration, but treatment with metformin and the plants’ extracts significantly (p<0.05) reduced the enzymes activities and total bilirubin concentration to levels comparable to those of the normal control. Generally, the combination therapies had non-significantly stronger effects than the single extract treatments. Histological evaluation confirmed that combinatorial compared to individual extracts treatment reverted more the damage to the liver organ caused by alloxan induction. Thus, Medicago sativa, Pterocarpus santalinoides and Gongronema latifolium are possible lead plants for potential production of hepatoprotective agents.