ABSTRACT

Ethnopharmacological reports from south western, north eastern and north western parts of Nigeria on the use of Aristolochia albida in the traditional management of diabetes led to this study in which the effect of methanol extract of Aristolochia albida leaves on the renal function of alloxan-induced diabetic rats was investigated. Twenty-five (25) adult Wistar rats of female sex (110-150 g) used in the study were fed with standard feed, provided with free access to water under a well ventilated condition of 12hrs, light cycle, kept in iron cages and were allowed to acclimatize for two weeks before the commencement of the experiments. The acclimatized rats were randomly divided into five groups consisting of five rats each. Group I (normal control) consisted of normal rats that neither received alloxan monohydrate nor any treatment with drug or extract. Group 2 served as the negative control that received alloxan monohydrate without treatment with drug or extract. Rats in group 3 (positive control) received alloxan monohydrate and were treated with glibenclamide at normal dose (100mg/kg). Rats in group 4 received alloxan monohydrate and were treated with the plant extract at low dosage (50mg/kg), whereas the rats in group 5 received alloxan monohydrate and were treated with plant extract at a high dosage (l00mg/kg). All rats employed in the experiment were fed with feed and water ad /ibitum for 28 days. The treatments were also administered ad libitum for 28 days. Serum from blood samples of sacrificed rats was collected on the twenty ninth (29) day and assayed for creatinine and urea levels which served as indices of renal function in this study. Findings from the study revealed that the concentration of serum creatinine was significantly and dosedependently lower (p<0.05) in the animals that were given the leaf-extracts. This shows that Aristolochia albida can reduce serum concentration of creatinine in diabetic rats. The study also revealed that the concentration of urea was significantly but not dose-dependently lower in the animals that were given the leaf-extracts when compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Aristolochia albida can thus be employed in the management of diabetic nephropathy. Further research for herbal agents to alleviate possible hypoglycemia is recommended.