Acute Toxicity and Hypoglycemic Activity of Aqueous Fruit Pulp Extract of Adansonia digitata L. (Afpead) on Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Oral LD50 and hypoglycemic activity of aqueous fruit pulp extract of Adansonia digitata L. (AFPEAD) were investigated in this research. A total of fourty eight (48) rats were used, twelve (12) of the rats were used for oral LD50 determination, and were grouped into four (4) groups of three rats (3) each. The first three groups were administered with 10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively, while the last group was subdivided into three groups of one rat each and were administered with 1600 mg/kg, 2900 mg/kg and 5000 mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively. Thirty (36) rats were used for the diabetic study and were grouped into six (6) groups of six (6) rats each. Group I served as normal control, group II served as diabetic control while Groups III, IV, V and VI were induced with diabetes and administered with AFPEAD at a dose of 1.00 g/kg, 2.00 g/kg and 3.00 g/kg body weight and standard drug (Chlorpropamide, 100 mg/kg) respectively for two weeks. The research found the oral LD50 of the extract to be greater than 5000mg/kg indicating that the extract was practically non-toxic and administration of the extract to test groups shows a significant (p<0.05) decrease in blood glucose level when compared to diabetic control after two weeks treatment with the extract. Thus indicating a hypoglycemic activity by the extract which might be due to the presence of various phytochemicals.