ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by a loss of glucose homeostasis, due to disturbance of carbohydrate, fats, and protein metabolism, resulting from defects in insulin production and action or both. In Nigeria, the number of people suffering from diabetes mellitus is rapidly increasing. There are several oral hypoglycemic drugs used in the treatment of DM but are not devoid of adverse effect. However, natural products from plant source have proven to be effective and safe in the treatment of OM. An ethnobotanical survey conducted in Imo state (Isiala Mbano & Owerri) and Abia state (Ikwuano) in South Eastern Nigeria revealed nine medicinal plants frequently mentioned by the traditional healers in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Nine medicinal plants namely; Chlorophora excelsa (root), Strophanthus hispisdus (root), Picralima nitida (seed), Persea americana (seed), Loranthus micranthus (leaf), Ceiba pentandra (leaf), Synsepa/um dolficicum (leaf), Anthocleista djalonensis (leaf) and Anacardium occidentale (leaf). The phytochemical properties of these plants were estimated using standard TLC method while the antioxidant activities were done using 1, l-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazl (DPPH), 2, 2'-azino-bis-3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic-acid (ABTS), and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP).Some of the samples had (Ceiba pentandra and Anacadium occidenta/e) a robust antioxidant potential while some of the samples exhibited moderate antioxidant potential. The thin layer Chromatography (TLC) profiling revealed the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins with yellow-brown coloured zones at daylight indicating the presence of alkaloid, yellow coloured zone indicating the presence of flavonoids, and blue coloured zone indicating the presence of phenols. The presence of these compounds in the plantsindicates the presence of phytochemical in the plant extracts in support of their antioxidant and biological activity. The a-amylase inhibition test indicated that some of the plant extracts (Chlorophora excelsa, Picralima nitida, Synsepalum dolficicum, Anacardium occidentale) showed good a-amylase inhibitory effect and can act as good anti-diabetic agents and therefore at least supports their use in the treatment of Diabetes mellitus. The antioxidant activities seen in these plants need to be further explored in synergy with the possible antidiabetic properties of the plants in the treatment of OM.