title: Antidiabetic and haematinic effects of Parquetina nigrescens on alloxan induced type-1 diabetes and normocytic normochromic anaemia in Wistar rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The plant, Parquetina nigrescens is used in folklore medicine to treat diabetes mellitus and its complications in several parts of West Africa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of Parquetina nigrescens extract on fasting blood glucose in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The blood glucose levels, complete blood count, erythrocyte indices and osmotic fragility, body and organ weights were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic rats treated with the extract showed significant (P<0.01) reduction of the blood glucose to levels comparable to that of the non-diabetic control and those treated with chlorpropamide (standard drug). Similarly, there was significant (P<0.01) reduction in the complete blood count in the diabetic rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anaemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia associated with the diabetes were corrected in the animals treated with the extract and chlorpropamide. The extract also reduced the erythrocyte osmotic fragility, body and organ weights. Parquetina nigrescens demonstrated antidiabetic property by reducing the elevated blood glucose in alloxan treated rats which is comparable to animals that received the standard drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paraquetina nigrescens stabilized the erythrocyte membrane, decreased the body weight probably by lowering lipogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying the antidiabetic and haematinic properties of Parquetina nigrescens remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. sabadee2000@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Oyagbemi
authors.forename: O I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Azeez
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D029062:Apocynaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006397:Hematinics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009996:Osmotic Fragility; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006397:Hematinics; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000496:Alloxan