Aqueous Extract of Rauwolfia Vomitoria Afzel (Apocynaceae) Roots Effect on Blood Glucose Level of Normoglycemic and Hyperglycemic Rats

Abstract

At 500, 700 and 1000 mg/ kg B.W., EARv causes, like glibenclamide at 10 mg/kg B.W., a reduction of blood glucose level of treated normoglycemic rats. In addition, EARv at 1000 mg/kg B.W. reducedand quickly nullifies the glucose tolerance in rats that is induced by oral administration of glucose (4 g/kg B.W.). This effect is also observed with glibenclamide (10 mg/kg B.W.). The phytochemical screening shows that EARv contains alkaloids, flavonoids, and antrhones and anthraquinones, catechin tannins, saponins and monoterpenoids. This study shows that the aqueous extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria has hypoglycemic and some antihyperglycemic properties, that justify its use in the treatment of diabetic hyperglycemia in traditional medicine.

This study aims to assess the pharmacological effects of an aqueous extract roots of Rauwolfia vomitoria (EARv), a plant used in traditional medicine in the Ivory Coast to treat diabetes, on blood glucose normoglycemic rats and on glucose tolerance in rats by administration of glucose. The acute toxicity, as well as the phytochemicals present in this extract are also determined. During the experience, fives groups of rats received respectively distilled water, EARv at doses of 500, 700 and 1000 mg/kg of body weight and 10 mg/kg of glibenclamide. Then the blood glucose level of each rat was measured using a glucometer. Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by oral administration of glucose at dose of 4 g/kg. The rats were pretreated or post-treated of the same doses of tests substances and blood glucose level of each rat was measured. Acute toxicity by oral administration was studied in mice and phytochemical screening was performed by thin layer chromatography. The results show that EARv administered orally at doses up to 5000 mg/kg B.W., does not cause the death of the treated mice.