The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the aqueous extract of Baillonella toxisperma stem bark on dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in rats. A quantitative phytochemical study was done on the aqueous extract of Baillonella toxisperma for the total phenol, flavonoid, and flavonol determination. Insulin resistance was induced by intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) for 8 days, one hour before oral administration of different treatments (extract at doses of 60, 120, and 240 mg/kg and metformin at 40 mg/kg). During the test, body weight and blood glucose level were evaluated on days 1 and 8. At the last day of treatment, the glucose tolerance test was performed in rats; after that, blood samples were collected for triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterols, transaminases (ALT and AST), and total protein level determination. Organs (heart, liver, pancreas, and kidneys) were also collected for the relative organ weight determination. The results showed that the aqueous extract of B. toxisperma is rich in total phenols, flavonoids, and flavonols. This extract significantly reversed the metabolic alterations (lipid profile, protein level, and transaminase activity) induced by dexamethasone in rats. At doses of 120 and 60 mg/kg, Baillonella toxisperma also significantly decreases (p<0.05; p<0.01) postprandial hyperglycemia in insulin resistance rats. The results suggest that Baillonella toxisperma can manage insulin resistance and may be useful for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background. Diarrheal diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world and particularly in developing countries. Nauclea diderrichii is a plant used in traditional medicine in the treatment of anemia, fever, gastric ulcer, malaria, abdominal pain, skin infections, and diarrhea. The present work is aimed at evaluating the antisecretory and spasmolytic activities of aqueous and ethanolic stem bark extracts of Nauclea diderrichii in Wistar rats. Methods. The effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Nauclea diderrichii was tested at doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg on castor oil-induced secretory diarrhea, misoprostol-induced fluid accumulation, and the effect of pretreatment with yohimbine and glibenclamide. They were also tested on normal motility and castor oil- and carbachol-induced hypermotility. Results. The results showed that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Nauclea diderrichii significantly ( p < 0.001 ) inhibited castor oil-induced secretory diarrhea at all the doses. Both extracts significantly ( p < 0.001 ) inhibit fluid accumulation induced by misoprostol. The pretreatment with glibenclamide reduced the antidiarrheal activity of aqueous extract of Nauclea diderrichii. The pretreatment with yohimbine did not alter the effect of the aqueous extract of Nauclea diderrichii. On intestine transit as on castor oil- and carbachol-induced motility, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg reduced significantly ( p < 0.05 , p < 0.01 , and   p < 0.001 ) the travelled distance by charcoal and peristaltic index. Conclusions. The study demonstrated that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Nauclea diderrichii possess antisecretory and antispasmolytic properties hence its use in traditional medicine against diarrhea.

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Objective. The present study investigated the effect of the leaves extracts and fractions of Plectranthus glandulosus on the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, adipocytes lipid uptake, and antithrombotic activity which may be important in atherosclerosis development. Methods. Aqueous, ethanolic, and hydroethanolic extracts of Plactranthus glandulosus were prepared by maceration. The hydroethanolic extract was fractionated into n-hexane, ethylacetate, and n-butanol fractions and their inhibition of pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, adipocytes lipid uptake, and antithrombotic activities measured. Liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis was carried out to determine phytochemical constituents present in the extracts. Results. The standard orlistat exhibited a higher inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase (16.31 μg/mL and 15.75 μg/mL, respectively) compared to ethyl acetate fraction (IC50, 17.70 μg/mL and IC50, 24.8 μg/mL, respectively). Among crude extract, hydroethanolic extract showed a better inhibition against pancreatic lipase (IC50, 21.06 μg/mL) and cholesterol esterase (IC50, 25.14 μg/mL) though not comparable to the effect of orlistat. The best lipid uptake inhibition was observed in the hydroethanolic extract (IC50, 45.42 μg/mL) followed by the ethyl acetate fraction (IC50, 47.77 μg/mL). A better antithrombolytic activity was exhibited by the ethyl acetate fraction at all concentrations (50-800 μ/mL), while hydroethanolic extract exhibited the best activity among crude extract. However, these were not comparable to the standard aspirin. The LC-HRMS analysis revealed the presence of 7-O-methyl luteolin 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, chrysoeriol 5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 5,7-dihydroxy-3,2 ′ ,4 ′ -trimethoxyflavone, and plectranmicin as major compounds in both hydroethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction. Conclusion. Thus, our finding supports the traditional use of this plant, which might provide a potential source for future antiatherosclerotic drug discovery.