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ABSTRACT
Dialium guineense has been shown to possess medicinal properties and its parts are used to treat different ailments. This study investigated the effect of isolated saponins and tannins of Dialium guineense stem bark on selected biochemical parameters in diabetic rats. Adult male Wistar rats (n = 25) were used in this study. Diabetes was induced using 50 mg/kg body weight (bwt) of streptozotocin (STZ). Group I rats were not induced and served as normal control, while group II (negative control) rats were diabetic, but not treated. Rats in groups III – V were diabetic and treated with metformin (50 mg/kg bwt), saponins (100 mg/kg bwt) and tannins (100 mg/kg bwt), respectively. Activities of glucose 6-phosphatase and concentrations of total cholesterol, insulin, testosterone and pancreatic DNA, RNA and protein were determined. Treatment of diabetic rats with total saponins or tannins of D. guineense stem bark did not significantly affect the concentration of pancreatic total DNA (p > 0.05), but significantly increased the concentration of pancreatic total protein (p < 0.05). The concentration of pancreatic total RNA was not significantly affected by total tannins treatment (p > 0.05), but was significantly increased after total saponins treatment (p < 0.05). There were no significant increases in the activity of glucose 6-phosphatase in the erythrocytes and liver of diabetic control rats, when compared with the treated and normal control (p > 0.05). However, the activity was significantly increased in the kidneys of diabetic control relative to the treated and normal control rats (p < 0.05). Treatment with total saponins or tannins significantly increased the concentrations of testosterone and insulin, but it reduced the concentration of cholesterol in the tissues (p < 0.05). These results show that total saponins and tannins of D. guineense stem bark are effective in ameliorating diabetes mellitus.
