Global Experts Meeting On Diabetes, Hypertension & Metabolic Syndrome

Biography

Biography: Zaruwa, M. Z.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health problem affecting million people in Africa. The consumption of medicinal clay (Geophagy) by DM patients in North Eastern, Nigeria as traditional remedy for the ailment has become very popular. This paper evaluated the hypoglycaemic activity of two medicinal clay: Nzu and Ulo. The elemental constituents of the medicinal clay was also studied with a view of explain its possible mechanism Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric (AAS) analysis was used to ascertain the levels of Zn, Pb, Mg, Ni and Cr contents in the medicinal clays using standard protocols. Hyperglycaemia was induced in 20 of 28 normoglycaemic male rats (170 – 260 g) using the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) protocol and the rats were shared into seven (7) groups of four rats each (4). Group I served as control group negative. Group II were hyperglycaemic control group, positive, while four other groups were treated with 100 or 200 mg kg‾¹of Nzu and Ulo to hyperglycaemic rats, respectively; another group was treated with a standard drug, Glibenclamide (600 µg/kg p.o). Elemental analysis of both clay showed the presence of Zn, Pb, Mg and Ni and were above the recommended level of WHO per day. The mean blood glucose level of the hyperglycaemic treated rats in group III, IV, V, VI and VII after administration of the medicinal clay (Nzu and Ulo) was compared with the values in control groups (I and II) and the Glibenclamide treated group. Significant reduction in the blood glucose concentrations after 1st, 2nd, 3rd hours between the hyperglycaemic treated and the hyperglycaemic untreated rats. The control drug Glibenclamide (600 µg/kg) showed much lover blood glucose concentration at 3rd above the medicinal clay. It was concluded that the likely reason for the observed hypoglycaemic effect, could be due to delayed digestion and assimilation of food, within the gut of the rat or slowed to enable a gradual absorption and catalysis of the glucose within the cells. The consumption of 100 and 200 mg/kg b.wt. Nzu and Ulo reduced blood glucose levels in hyperglycaemic rats and it justified its use in the management of diabetes mellitus amidst some health risks.