Renal dysfunction is now a prevalent complication of diabetes mellitus. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate the remedial effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) on renal dysfunction in diabetic rats. Fifteen albino Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups that comprise normal control group (Group I) and diabetic control group (Group II) fed with normal rat chows and a diabetic test group (Group III) fed with 10% VCO diet. Group II and Group III were made diabetic by single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of freshly prepared alloxan monohydrate. After 72 hours of alloxan injection, fasting blood glucose was tested to confirm diabetes mellitus. After 3 weeks, the animals were anaesthetized and sacrificed to collect blood samples for renal function analysis. The creatinine, urea, and blood urea nitrogen values of Group II were significantly different from those of Group I and Group III at < 0.001. Also, there was significant difference ( < 0.05) in total protein value between Group II (4.42 ± 0.47 mg/dL) and Group I (5.78 ± 0.12 mg/dL) as well as Group III (5.86 ± 0.19 mg/dL), but there was no significant difference between that of Group I and Group III (5.78 ± 0.12 mg/dL and 5.86 ± 0.19 mg/dL, resp.). Thus, VCO is effective in preventing renal damage in diabetic patients.

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is a saturated fat with promising antidiabetic properties but its ameliorative effect on lipid profiles in diabetics is rarely reported. Therefore, in this study, a total of fifteen (15) male rats weighing 200–250 g were divided into 3 experimental groups (n=5). Group I (control) and Group II (diabetic control group) were fed a normal rat chow while Group III (diabetic test group) was fed a 10% VCO diet for 3 weeks. Group II and Group III were made diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of alloxan. After 72 hours of injection, blood glucose was tested to confirm diabetes mellitus. After 3 weeks, the animals were sacrificed to collect blood samples for lipid profile analysis. The results showed a significant increase in concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and very low density lipoprotein and decrease in concentration of high density lipoprotein in Group II when compared to Group I. Also, the concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and very low density lipoprotein except high density lipoprotein significantly reduced in Group III when compared to Group II (P<0.01, 0.001). VCO consumption can be claimed to ameliorate lipid levels in diabetes mellitus.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-diabetic effect of aqueous extract of Basella alba leaves in alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. Thirty (30) male albino rats weighing 100 to 150 g were used for this work. The rats were randomly distributed into five groups containing six (6) rats per group. Group I rats served as the healthy control group and were neither induced with diabetes nor given any treatment. Group II rats served as the diabetic control. They were induced with diabetes but not given any treatment throughout the experiment. Rats in group III and IV were induced with diabetes and administered B. alba leaf extract at different doses, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Group V rats were also induced with diabetes and treated with Metformin at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. The various treatments were administered orally for a period of three weeks. The mean fasting blood glucose (FBG) of the rats was determined weekly using a glucometer. The rats treated with B. alba at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg had their mean FBG levels significantly lower than the diabetic control group (p<0.05). Similarly, there was significant difference between rats in the group treated with Metformin and the diabetic control group (p<0.05). The mean FBG levels of rats treated with 200 mg/kg of B. alba leaf extract was not statistically different from that recorded in rats treated with Metformin. The results show that B. alba leaf extract has antidiabetic effect in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, varying with the quantity ingested. Hence, consumption of B. alba leaf as a vegetable should be encouraged for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Graphical abstract

Ripe and unripe tomatoes have been implicated in prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer probably due to their antioxidant, antibiotic, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Problem statement: This study was designed to investigate whether ripe and unripe tomatoes will have hypoglycaemic effect in a chronic disease such as diabetes mellitus that has been characterized with hyperglycaemia. Approach: Twenty albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (2 control and 2 test groups) of 5 rats each. The normal and diabetic control groups were given citrate buffer (intraperitoneally) and normal rat chow and 65 mg kg −1 streptozotocin (intraperitoneally) and normal rat chow respectively. The test groups were given 65 mg kg −1 streptozotocin via intraperitoneal route and either a mixture of ripe or unripe tomato and normal rat chow. In all groups, the blood samples were obtained at the tail vein of the animals and the fasting blood glucose level were monitored and determined on the 1st, 3rd and 14th day of consumption of different feed combinations. Results: There was significant difference in blood glucose level in animals fed on ripe and unripe Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) compared to the normal and diabetic control groups on the 3rd and 14th day without significant difference on the 1st day. Conclusion: Both high-lycopene ripe tomato and high-tomatine unripe tomato have hypoglycaemic effect in diabetic mellitus at short period of dietary intake therefore this suggest that consumers may benefit by not only eating high-lycopene ripe tomatoes, but also hightomatine unripe tomatoes.