ABSTRACT
People around the world are increasingly embracing complementary and/or alternative therapies, which may include traditional medicinal plants (TMPs); to treat their medical concerns. Vernonia amygdalina leaf extracts have been reported to reduce high blood pressure. Thus, this study is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of graded dose of V. amygdalina leaf extracts on IOP, as well evaluating its potency on BP and blood glucose level in ocular hypertensive patients, systemic hypertensive patients and diabetic patients, respectively. 100.0mg/kg, 150.0mg/kg and 200.0mg/kg of body weight of V. amygdalina leaf extract were administered orally to 60 subjects (30 males and 30 females) weighing between 41.0 to 110.0kg with a mean weight of 70.3±12.7kg and aged between 43 and 82 years with a mean age of 63.0±9.7 years. Their IOP, blood pressure and blood glucose level were checked at every 30 minutes interval to observe any significant change up to 120 minutes with the participants grouped into the three health conditions being addressed as systemic hypertensive, ocular hypertensives and diabetic subjects, who were newly diagnosed. Results indicated a significant reduction of the IOP, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and blood glucose of the control group (p<0.05). There was also a significant reduction in IOP (p=0.000), systolic blood pressure (p=0.000) and blood glucose (p=0.020) of ocular hypertensive subjects and systemic hypertension subjects, respectively, after oral administration of 100mg/kg, 150mg/kg and 200mg/kg. From this study, the recommended doses of V. amygdalina leaf extract for treating systemic hypertension was 150mg/kg. 150mg/kg and 200mg/kg for ocular hypertensive and 100mg/kg for diabetic subjects. Thus, it can be implied that graded dosage of V. amygdalina are effective in reducing IOP and BP of ocular hypertensive, systemic hypertensives and normotensives subjects, respectively. Likewise for reducing blood glucose level of diabetic subjects. This treatment could be a low-cost, widely accessible solution to the threat of ocular hypertension, glaucoma, systemic hypertension and diabetes in our society.
