Antioxidant and Ameliorative Potential of Aqueous Seed extracts of Delonix regia on High Fat Diet and Streptozotocin Induced Diabetes in Female Wistar Rats

Antioxidant and ameliorative potential of aqueous seed extracts of Delonix regia on high fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in female wistar rats were investigated. Forty eight rats were grouped into eight, consisting of six per group. Diabetes was induced in all the groups except for group 1 which was used as normal control (NC) and was fed with normal diet. Diabetic state was achieved by feeding the rats with HFD which contained 20% sucrose, 20% lard and 60% grower mash for six weeks, followed by 40mg/kg body weight (BW) of a single dose intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Seven days after induction of diabetes, treatment of cooked Delonix regia seeds (A) and uncooked Delonix regia seeds (B) extracts commences and this lasted for six weeks. Rats in groups 3(MET) and 4(MET+VDG) received metformin 100 mg/kg and metformin/vildagliptin 50/25 mg/kg (BW) respectively as standard drugs. While the rats in groups, 5 (A1), 6(A2) and 7 (B1), 8(B2) were induced and treated with A and B extracts respectively by receiving 150 and 300 mg/kg (BW) orally and daily. Blood was obtained through cardiac puncture after the rats were anaesthetized and sacrificed. Proximate analysis showed that the seeds contained, moisture, ash, lipid, protein, carbohydrate and fiber contents of 3.83 ± 0.07, 3.50 ± 0.00, 7.82 ± 0.02, 17.50 ± 0.00, 21.79 ± 0.21 and 45.57 ± 0.26 respectively. The treatment with both extracts A and B significantly decreased (p<0.05) the fasting blood glucose concentration and pancreatic amylase activities in dose and time dependent manner, when compared to the DC. Similarly, treatments with A and B extracts significantly decreased (p<0.05) the pack cell volume (PCV), and platelets (PLT) count with, a significant decreased (p<0.05) in the granulocyte count in a dose dependent manner. The potassium and bicarbonate concentrations of the treated diabetic rats significantly decreased (p<0.05) when compared to the DC except for group 5(A1) extract treated group. Results obtained for superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in activities of treated diabetic rats in a time dependent manner when compared to DC. Conclusively, treatments exhibited immune boosting and antioxidant properties, protective against disturbance of acid‐base balance, in treated diabetic rats. Therefore, the plant exhibited very impressive potency and promise in the management of diabetes and its complications and hence a potential source for the discovery of new orally active anti‐diabetic drugs and alternative source for food nutrients Support or Funding Information Self funding This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .