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ABSTRACT
Triumfetta rhomboidea is a herbaceous perennial plant. It is wide spread in Africa. It is 0.6 - 1.5m tall with slender branches. It is used in treatment of diseases such as dysentery, ulcer, leprosy and gonnorhea. Adult male Wistar rats (n = 30) weighing between 180 and 200 g were randomly assigned to five groups of six rats each: control group, 100 mg/kg body weight (bwt) flavonoids group, 200 mg/kg bwt flavonoids group, 100 mg/kg bwt saponins group and 200 mg/kg bwt saponins group. The biochemical parameters studied were levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), total protein, testosterone, and activity of catalase in normal rats.. The levels of FBG of each group was obtained by testing the blood samples with glucometer weekly, the total proteins were estimated by Biuret method, the catalase activity was determined with the UV spectrophotometric method and the levels of testosterone were determined with ELISA kit. The study lasted twenty-eight (28) days.Total flavonoids and saponins were successfully isolated from the leaves of T. rhomboidea and they tested positive to different confirmatory tests. Treatment with the isolated flavonoids and saponins significantly reduced the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level of normal rats (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of total proteins among the groups (p > 0.05). Treatment of normoglycemic rats with flavonoids and saponins isolated from the leaves of T. rhomboidea significantly increased the activity of catalase (p < 0.05). There was no significant differences in the levels of testosterones among the groups (p >0.05). These results indicate that total flavonoids and saponins of T. rhomboidea leaves possess hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties, and will be an effective hypoglycemic agents.
