ANTIDIABETIC STUDIES OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF GINGER (Zingiber officinale) AND CINNAMON (Cinnamonum zeylanicum) AND THEIR COMBINATION IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS
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Date
2017-12-12
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Bayero University Kano
Abstract
This research was conducted to evaluate the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties of
aqueous extract of Cinnamon (Cinnamonum zeylanicum) bark; Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
rhizome and a combination of the two on Alloxan induced diabetic rats. It also studied the effect
of the aqueous extracts on kidney function parameters. Thirty two rats were grouped into 8
groups of four rats each. Group I was the normal control, Group II was administered 200mg/kg
aqueous extract of ginger, Group III was administered 150mg/kg aqueous extract of Cinnamon.
Group IV the diabetic control group, Group V was a diabetic group administered 200mg/kg
aqueous extract of ginger, Group VI is the group administered 150mg/kg aqueous extract of
Cinnamon, Group VII was a diabetic group administered a combination of Ginger and Cinnamon
aqueous extract in the ratio 4:3 respectively, at a dose of 200mg/kg of ginger and 150mg/kg of
cinnamon, Group VIII was a diabetic group treated with metformin 500mg/kg. The animals were
treated with the aqueous extracts of ginger and cinnamon, and metformin for 14 days while
monitoring the fasting blood glucose at 3-day intervals. The treatment was withdrawn after 14
days and blood glucose sampling continued for 7days at 3 day intervals before the sacrifice. The
animals were then sacrificed after 21 days and blood collected was used for analysis of lipid
profile and renal function markers. The fasting blood glucose level was found to be
significantly(P<0.05) decreased in all groups treated with the aqueous extracts, with the highest
hypoglycemic activity seen in group VII compared to the diabetic group. Hypolipidemic
activities were also seen in groups V, VI, and VII with significant (P<0.05) decrease in these
groups treated with the aqueous extracts of ginger, cinnamon and a combination of both
compared to the diabetic control. The electrolytes, Urea and Creatinine levels were found to be
unaffected by the treatment on all the groups, a comparison between the treated groups and
untreated one showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The findings of this study suggests that
Ginger rhizome, cinnamon bark and their combination may be used in the management of
diabetes mellitus, although further human studies need to be carried to confirm their potential
benefits in diabetes management.