Vol. 9, Issue 4, Part K (2025)

Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder with severe cardiovascular complications. Given the limitations of conventional treatments, alternative therapies are essential. This study evaluated the hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects of mixed aqueous extracts of Piper guineense and Vernonia amygdalina in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rat models.

Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6 per group): Control, Negative control, Positive control, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of the mixed extract for 21 days. The Fasting blood glucose levels were measured before inducement, before treatment and before sacrifice of the rats. GraphPad prism 10.2 was used for the statistical analysis with significance at p<0.05.

Results: Obtained revealed an elevation in the FBG levels after the induction of hyperglycemia with alloxan monohydrate and a concurrent decrease in the FBG levels after treatment with 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg mixed extracts of Piper guineense and Vernonia amygdalina. The lipid profile markers: TC, TG, LDL and VLDL showed a decrease in the groups treated with 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg bw of the mixed extract when compared with the negative group at P = 0.033. However, an increase in HDL was observed in all groups treated with varying concentrations of the mixed extract when compared with the negative control (P = 0.033). The values of the mixed extract groups were comparable with the positive control group which served as the standard drug group. An increase in the GSH (P = 0.033), GPx (P = 0.002), GST (P = 0.033), Catalase (P = 0.002) and SOD (P = 0.033) levels were observed in comparison to the negative control group. Malondialdehyde serum levels recorded a significant decrease at P = 0.033 when compared to the negative control group.

Conclusion: The mixed aqueous extracts of Piper guineense and Vernonia amygdalina significantly improved glycemic control, lowered the lipid profile, and improved the antioxidant status in the hyperglycemic rats, with the 400 mg/kg dose demonstrating the most pronounced effects. The study further highlights the enhanced potential of combined extracts as therapeutics for the management of hyperglycemic conditions and improvement of health, evidenced by the antioxidant status and lipid profile. This agrees with the WHOs advocate on the use of natural products for therapeutics. Further clinical trials are recommended.