Metformin is a biguanide and its mechanism of action is exhibited at extra pancreatic level. In clinical practice, it is the first line therapy recommended for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patient (ADA, 2014). Vernonia amygdalina (VA) is a common shrub consumed in Nigeria. This study was done to investigate the comparative effect of VA and metformin in alloxan induced hyperglycaemia in Wistar rats. Twenty five (25) adult Wistar albino rats of both sexes weighing 200-250g were randomly allocated into five (5) groups with 5 rats per group. Group 1 was given normal saline alone without inducing hyperglycaemia to serve as normoglycaemic control, while group 2,3, 4 and 5 were given 6.5mg/100g body weight of alloxan monohydrate to induce hyperglycaemia according to the method of Osikwe et al.,2015, Onahinon et al.,2018. After inducing hyperglycaemia, group 2 were given normal saline, group 3, 10mg/100g body weight of VA, group 4, 20mg/100g body weight of metformin and group 5, 10mg/100g body weight of VA and 20mg/100g body weight of metformin for a duration of 2 weeks. Results showed that the fasting blood glucose of group 1 was 81±2.6 mg/dl. The fasting blood glucose of group 2 was 293±6.5 vs 332±17.5mg/dl, group 3 was 304±3.8 vs198±7.4mg/dl, group 4 was 306±7.2 vs 190±4.2mg/dl and group 5 was 310±7.4 vs 155±1.6mg/dl. There was significant difference in the basal fasting blood glucose and fasting blood glucose after group 2,3,4 and 5 were given alloxan (p<0.01). There was significant difference between group 2 and group 3, group 2 and group 4, and group 2 and group 5 (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between group 3 given VA and group 4 given metformin alone (p>0.05) however, the percentage change in fasting blood glucose in group 3 and 4 after agents were administered were 34.9% and 37.9% respectively. There was a significant difference between group 5 and group 3, and group 5 and group 4 (p<0.01). This result shows that the antihyperglycaemic effect of VA shows similar efficacy as that of metformin.

Introduction Gastric juice is secreted by the glands in the mucous membrane of the stomach and its essential constituents are water, mucus, digestive enzymes such as pepsin and lipase, electrolytes and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The best-known component of gastric juice secreted in the stomach is HCl (gastric acid) and it is the secretory product of the parietal cell (Sung, 2016). The effects of orally ingested substances on gastric function have been the subject of human investigation almost since the discovery of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice by Prout (1824). All foods are capable of stimulating gastric acid secretion through the distension of stomach but proteins are the major stimulants. Gastric acid secretion is a complex process that involves neuronal, hormonal, and endocrine pathways, all of which have one common target: the parietal cell. The parietal cell is responsible for secreting concentrated hydrochloric acid into the gastric lumen. Agents that inhibit gastric acid secretion such as H2-receptor blockers (Cimetidine, Ranitidine etc.), proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, rabeprazole etc.) are widely used to control increased acid secretion and acid related disorders. But however, adverse effects and relapse have been reported in the use of these agents The search for natural and available sources have led to the discovery several herbs used in the management several diseases including acid related

Introduction Diabetes mellitus one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally (IDF, 2013) is a complex and chronic metabolic disorder characterized by a sustained hyperglycaemia with a fasting blood glucose ≥ 126mg/dl, with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat, protein metabolism, high oxidative stress induced by the generation of highly reactive free radicals (Sharma et al.,2010) which result from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both (Kjems et al., 2001). Non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus accounts for more than 90% of diabetic population. The aetiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus in which the b-cells of pancreas are usually functional, very often involves hormonal imbalance (Roith et al., 2000). Hormones such as catecholamine, glucagon, cortisol and thyroxin, either through directly or through their influence on other hormones, affect carbohydrate metabolism to elevate blood glucose level leading to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance has been shown to be present in conditions like Type-II Diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia. In fact, the hormones of the adrenal cortex are well

Glimepiride is a sulfonylurea whose mechanism of action is to stimulate insulin release from the beta cell of the pancreas. It is an oral hypoglycaemic agent that is widely used in the management of type 2 Diabetes mellitus in Nigeria. Also, Vernonia amygdalina (VA) is a common shrub consumed in Nigeria. This study was done to investigate the effect of VA and glimepiride in alloxan induced hyperglycaemia. Twenty five (25) adult Wister albino rats of both sexes weighing 200-250g were randomly allocated into five (5) groups with five (5) rats per group. Group 1 was given normal saline alone without inducing hyperglycaemia in the group to serve as normoglycaemic control while animals in group 2, 3, 4 and 5 were given 65mg/kg bodyweight of alloxan monohydrate to induce hyperglycaemia according to the method of Osikwe et al., 2015, Onahinon et al.,2018. After inducing hyperglycaemia, group 2 were given normal saline, group 3, 100mg/kg body weight of VA, group 4, 2mg/kg body weight of glimepiride and group 5, 100mg/kg body weight of VA and 2mg/kg body weight of glimepiride for a duration of 2 weeks. The result showed that the fasting blood glucose of group 1 was 81±2.8 mg/dl. The fast blood glucose of group 2 was 283±8.3 vs 340±20.3mg/dl, group 3 was 304±3.8 198±3.3mg/dl, group 4 was 308±3.3 vs 216±1.5mg/dl and group 5 was 333±8.9 vs 151±5.1mg/dl. There was significant difference in the basal fasting blood glucose and fasting blood glucose after induction (p<0.01). There was significant difference between group 2 and group 3, group 2 and group 4, and group 2 and group 5 (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between group 3 and group 4 (p>0.05) however, the percentage change in fasting blood glucose in group 3 and 4 after hypoglycaemic agents were administered were 34.9% and 29.9% respectively. There was a significant difference between group 5 and group 3, and group 5 and group 4 (p<0.01). The percentage change in fasting blood glucose of group 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 20.1%,-34.9%,-29.9% and-54.7% respectively. It is concluded that there is synergism between VA and glimepiride.

Introduction Gastric acid is component of gastric juice secreted in the stomach. It is a secretory product of the parietal or oxyntic cell mainly concentrated in the fundic area of the stomach. Parietal cells secrete at a concentration of roughly 160 mM (equivalent to a pH of 0.8) when stimulated. The other cells of the stomach are the chief cells, mucus cells and neuroendocrine cells (Helander, 1993). The study of gastric acid secretion has been on for quite a long time. Beaumont (1822), Heidenhain (1834-1897), Edkins (1905), Pavlov (1910), Ivy (1928), Babkin (1930), and Gregory and Tracy (1963) were among the many 19th and 20th century investigators concerned with the mechanism of acid secretion in stomach (Ibu, 1987) The effects of orally ingested substances among which is Capsicum frutescens on gastric function have been the subject of human investigation almost since the discovery of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice by Prout (1824). Capsicum frutescens commonly called Tatase in Nigerian market is widely consumed in Nigeria, West Africa and many other parts of the world. It contains capsaicin which is 8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide as the main principle and it is a pungent phenolic chemical (Gonzalez et al., 1998, Kim et al., 2009). Other capsaicinoids found in Capsicums include dihydrocapsaicin, homocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin and norhydrocapsaicin. Vitamins A and C, fatty acids, carotene, flavonoids, thiamine, citric, tartaric, malic and tannic acids have also been found in the fruit (Alevizes et al., 2007). The effects of Capsicum frutescens on gastric acid secretion have not been widely explored.