Serum Antioxidant, Sex Hormones and Histopathological Examination of the Ovarian Tissues of Diabetic Rats Treated with Polyherbal Therapy

Aim: To access the impact of single and polyherbal therapy of Vernonia amygdalina, Moringa oleifera, Ocimum gratissimum and Gongronema latifolium on oxidative stress indices and ovary of diabetic rats.

Study Design: An experimental diabetes mellitus model was created in 78 rats.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, University of Calabar and Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, 2013-2014.

Methodology: Thirteen groups of 6 rats each were used. Groups 1 and 2 Normal and Diabetic Control received 0.5 ml Dimethylsulphoxide; 3 and 4 received 5 UI/Kg b.w insulin and 5 mg/Kg b.w glibenclamide; 5, 6, 7 and 8 received 500 mg/Kg b.w of Vernonia amygdalina, Moringa oleifera, Gongronema latifolium and Ocimum gratissimum extracts respectively; 9, 10 and 11 received 250 mg/ Kg b.w of M. oleifera/V. amygdalina, M. oleifera/ G. latifolium and M. oleifera/O. gratissimum respectively; 12 received 166.66 mg/kg b.w of V. amygdalina/ G. latifolium/ O. gratissimum while 13 received 125 mg/kg b.w of all extracts.

Results: After 28 days of treatment, the animals were anaesthetized and sacrificed to obtain blood by cardiac puncture. Serum was collected and assayed for malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase and sex hormones while the ovaries were collected for histopathological examination. Malondialdehyde and Gluthathione peroxidase increased and reduced respectively in the diabetic control group and reduced and increased respectively in the treated groups except group 8. Combination of O. gratissimum with M. oleifera ameliorated the effect observed in group 8. Sex hormone reduced for diabetic control but increased in the treated groups. Group 5 and 12 showed better results than others. Synergy was observed more in group 12 than in others. Histological observation confirmed this.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that groups 5, 11 and 12 were more potent at removing oxidative radical produced in diabetes as well as correct the injury to the ovary.