title: Cryptolepine, an indoloquinoline alkaloid, in the management of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Effective long-term management is the key to treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the ability of cryptolepine (CRP) in managing DM and some associated complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in fasting blood sugar (FBS), body weight, response to thermally-induced pain, and semen quality were assessed in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats treated with CRP (10, 30, or 100 mg/kg), glibenclamide (10 mg/kg), or normal saline (2 ml/kg) per os. Hematological profile, liver and kidney function tests, lipid profile, as well as liver, kidney, and pancreas histopathological examinations were also conducted to establish possible effects of CRP treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRP treatment reduced (P ≤ 0.001) FBS and body weight, inhibited (P ≤ 0.05 - 0.001) the latency to tail flick or withdrawal from pain stimulus. It did not alter (P > 0.05): Hematological parameters, elevated (P ≤ 0.05 - 0.001) plasma aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase, reduced (P ≤ 0.01) plasma urea, and elevated (P ≤ 0.001) plasma creatinine associated with DM. CRP, however, reversed (P ≤ 0.05 - 0.001) DM-associated elevation (P ≤ 0.05 - 0.001) of plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins, and the reduction in high-density lipoproteins. CRP (10-30 mg/kg) showed dose-dependent regeneration of β-islet cells but could not repair degenerated liver and kidney tissue. CRP worsens dose-dependently (P ≤ 0.001) reduced sperm quality associated with DM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRP abolishes hyperglycemia, weight loss, cold allodynia, neuropathic pain, and hyperlipidemia as well as pancreatic β-islet cell damage associated with DM. It, however, does not improve liver and kidney damage and lowered semen quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Elvis Ofori
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ameyaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: George Asumeng
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Koffuor
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Kwame Kumi
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Asare
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Daniels
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Konja
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Asante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Du-Bois
authors.affiliation: Department of Optometry, College of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyei
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Arnold Donkor
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Forkuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
authors.forename: Richard Nana
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Abankwah Owusu Mensah
keywords: Cold allodynia; cryptolepine; diabetes mellitus complications; glibenclamide; paw withdrawal; tail flick test