title: Anion Gap Toxicity in Alloxan Induced Type 2 Diabetic Rats Treated with Antidiabetic Noncytotoxic Bioactive Compounds of Ethanolic Extract of Moringa oleifera.
abstract: Moringa oleifera (MO) is used for a number of therapeutic purposes. This raises the question of safety and possible toxicity. The objective of the study was to ascertain the safety and possible metabolic toxicity in comparison with metformin, a known drug associated with acidosis. Animals confirmed with diabetes were grouped into 2 groups. The control group only received oral dose of PBS while the test group was treated with ethanolic extract of MO orally twice daily for 5-6 days. Data showed that the extract significantly lowered glucose level to normal values and did not cause any significant cytotoxicity compared to the control group (P = 0.0698); there was no gain in weight between the MO treated and the control groups (P > 0.8115). However, data showed that treatment with an ethanolic extract of MO caused a decrease in bicarbonate (P < 0.0001), and more than twofold increase in anion gap (P < 0.0001); metformin treatment also decreased bicarbonate (P < 0.0001) and resulted in a threefold increase in anion gap (P < 0.0001). Conclusively, these data show that while MO appears to have antidiabetic and noncytotoxic properties, it is associated with statistically significant anion gap acidosis in alloxan induced type 2 diabetic rats.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cancer Biology Research Group, Molecular Pathology and Immunology Division, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Science, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria ; Cancer Research Unit, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Room A 231, Health Science Building, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5R5.
authors.forename: Maxwell
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1588-0306
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omabe
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cancer Biology Research Group, Molecular Pathology and Immunology Division, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Science, Ebonyi State University, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chibueze
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7681-771X
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nwudele
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Kenneth Nwobini
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4174-0545
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Omabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Albert Egwu
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2518-382X
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Okorocha