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ABSTRACT
Tetrapleura tetraptera Taub is a medicinal plant commonly found in the Western region of Nigeria, and it is referred to as Aridan by the people of this region. The plant has many ethno-medicinal uses such as antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-convulsant, and anti-inflammatory. This study evaluated the potential in vivo role of saponins fraction of T. tetraptera Stem bark in the management of diabetes and its antioxidant effect in the testis of streptozotocin diabetic Wistar rats. Saponins fraction of T. tetraptera stem bark was orally administered to Streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats at 10, 20 and 40mg/kg body weight (Groups 4, 5 and 6). The Effect of saponin on the antioxidant [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Glutathione-S-transferase (GST)] activities in the testis and serum of the treated diabetic rats were compared with untreated control rats (Group 1), untreated diabetic control rats (Group 2) and metformin treated diabetic rats (Group 3) after 12 weeks of treatment. Administration of saponin significantly (p < 0.05) increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) in the testis and serum of the treated diabetic rats. However, saponin treatment did not increase GST levels in the testis of the treated diabetic rats but significantly increased it in the serum. The results suggest that saponins fraction of T. tetraptera stem bark can improve the antioxidant defense system in the testis of streptozotocin diabetic Wistar rats, and may have the potential to be used in the management of testicular oxidative stress induced by diabetes mellitus, with 10mg/kg body weight dose appearing to be the most effective therapeutically.
