Diabetes mellitus is a disease in
which blood vessels of glucose (sugar) are high because the body does not
produce or properly use insulin. There are two major forms of diabetes
mellitus. Type 1 diabetes develops when the pancreas does not produce
insulin. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cell resist insulin’s effect
(Microsoft Encarta, 2009). This condition leads to elevated levels of blood
glucose. The normal range of blood glucose level for blood glucose level is
between 70-110mg/dl. Insulin is a hormone that helps to maintain normal blood
glucose level by making the body’s cell absorbs glucose (sugar) so that it can
be as a source of energy. In people with diabetes glucose levels build up in
the blood and urine causing excessive urination, thirst, hunger and problems
with fats and protein metabolism because the body cannot convert glucose into
energy, it begins to break down stored fats for fuel. This produces
increasing amounts of acidic compounds in the blood called ketone bodies which
interfere with cellular respiration energy producing process in cells. Alloxan
induces diabetes mellitus in rats. Alloxan, a beta cytotoxin, induces diabetes
in a wide variety of animal species through damage of insulin secreting cell.
In these animals, with characteristic similar to type 1 diabetes in humans.
Hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia are common complications of
diabetes mellitus. (Rerup, C. C. 1999). Senna tora
(originally described by Linne as cassia tora) is a legume in the subfamily
caesalpiniodeae. It grows wild in most of the tropics and is considered a weed
in many places. Its native range is not well known but probably South Asia. It
is often confused with Chinese senna or sickle pods obtusifolia. If it is given
a distinct common name at all, it is called sickle wild sensitive plant (nature
serve, 200). It has a widely ranging tropical and the agro climatic conditions,
which are conducive for introducing and domesticating new and exotic plant
varieties. The use of the plants, plant extracts and pure compounds isolated
from natural sources provided the foundation to modern pharmaceutical
compounds. An ethno botanical search on fine species senna within and around
Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Nigeria showed their relevance in the local herbal
medicine. In the recent study, screening for hypoglycemic activity of the
extract of senna tora
was conducted to provide support for the use of this plant as traditional
medicine. Phytochemical screening provides knowledge of the chemical
constituents of this not only for the discovery of new therapeutic agents, but
also for information in discovering new sources of other materials. The uses of
senna tora
include the following, used as liver stimulant, mild laxative, heart tonic,
used in treatment of fever, used to treat eczema and dermatomycosis, etc.
- AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
Therefore the goal of the study is
to:
- To determining the blood glucose levels of normal and Alloxan induced diabetic rats.
- To determine the effects of senna tora leaves extract on the blood glucose levels of the diabetic albino rats.
- To compare values before and after induction with Alloxan and senna tora leaves.
No comments:
Post a Comment