Effect of Pawpaw Seeds on

Management of Alloxan-
Induced-Diabetes in Rats
Oko ,A.O. , Nwuzor, C.C. and Ekuma Emmanuel T.
Reviewed by Ayogu Ebubechi Glory
AIM
• The study was intended to evaluate the antihyperglycemic activity of
ethanol extract of paw paw seed in alloxan-induced diabetic rat
ABSTRACT
• Ethanol extract of pawpaw seed was evaluated for a possible application
in the management of diabetes. Alloxan was used to induce diabetes in
rats, which were subsequently used to study the antihyperglycaemic effect
of the extract. Four (4) treatment groups and two (2) control groups of 8
rats each were created using complete randomized design. The two(2)
control groups are,the rats that are not induced by alloxan and the one
induced but not treated. The four (4) treatment group are; the rats
induced and treated with standard drug, induced and treated with
50mg/kg of the extract, induced and treated with 100mg/kg of the extract
and induced and treated with 200mg/kg of the extract. The rats stayed for
28 days and the blood glucose level was checked daily using glucometer
INTRODUCTION
• Diabetes is a metabolic disease with features of hyperglycemia due to the deficiency
of secretion or action of endogenous insulin. It is a multifactorial disorder with no
definite cause, and characterized by disturbances in the metabolism of carbohydrate,
fat and proteins accompanied by long lasting complications which eventually leads to
severe damage to the kidney, retina and many of the body’s system, especially the
blood vessels and the nervous system . This disease is the fourth leading cause of
hospitalization and death per year.
• Insulin therapy is mostly the common method for the management of diabetes. But
regular intake of insulin and other synthetic drugs usually lead to certain drawbacks,
such as fatty liver, insulin resistance, and brain damage . These conditions have
resulted in diabetologists seeking for other possible alternatives, especially
supplements consisting of plant extracts for the optimization of the treatment of
diabetes. Possible alternative like paw paw seed as used in this review
INTRODUCTION CONTD
• Paw paw( Carica papaya) is a tropical tree, which is native to South
America but now widely cultivated in other tropical regions of the
world. It is a small unbranched tree, single stem growing up to 5–10
m tall. The fruits are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. The fruit and leaf
are used for the treatment of typhoid fever, wound infection, asthma,
fever, diarrhea, boils, hypertension, and so on
METHODOLOGY
• 1)Collection and preparation of plant sample: The seeds of paw paw were collected from plants
growing in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, Nigeria during the rainy season. The fresh and
clean seeds were air-dried under a shed. The samples were pulverized using pestle and mortar.
• 2) Ethanol extraction: Ethanol is used as preservatives and to prevent skin infection in
pharmaceutical preparation. The ethanol extraction was done using Soxhlet apparatus. Fifty
grams (50 g) of the powdered pawpaw seeds sample was measured using electronic weighing
balance wrapped using whatman filter paper model 1001-917 Made in India and inserted in
the tube of the soxhlet apparatus. A 250 ml of 70 % ethanol was poured inside the round
bottom conical flask of the apparatus and was heated at 343K and extracted for 3 hours.
• 3) Experimental animals: A total of forty-eight (48) adult albino Wistar rats (male; weighed 150
g– 250 g; aged 1619 weeks) were used for this experiment. The animals, upon arrival, were left
to acclimatize for 7 days in the animal house of the Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University,
Abakaliki, Nigeria. The animals were randomly assigned to 6 groups of 8 rats. They stayed for 28
days and the blood glucose level was checked regularly with glucometer
METHODOLOGY CONTD
GROUPS TREATMENT
Group 1 Normal control (not induced)
Group 2 Diabetic control ( infected)
Group 3 Standard drug; Infected with
diabetes and received 0.5 mg/kg
glibenclamide
Group 4 Diabetic + 50 mg/kg extract
Group 5 Diabetic + 100mg/kg extract
Group 6 Diabetic + 200mg/kg
RESULT
RESULT CONTD
• As shown in Figure above, group 2 (diabetic control) showed a
constant increase in blood glucose level from day 1 till day 28,
although there was no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the values
recorded. The blood glucose level for group 2 was significantly higher
(p<0.05) than the blood glucose level of group 1 throughout the
experiment. Again, it was observed that treatment with 0.5 mg/kg
glibenclamide and the plant extracts resulted in a gradual and
significant (p<0.05) decline in blood glucose.
CONCLUSION
• Based on the foregoing, it could be concluded that ethanol extract of
Paw paw seed produces hypoglycaemic effect. This was deduced from
the effect of the extract on the blood glucose level of these rat
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