Background: Many plants with antidiabetic properties probably act in part through their content of fibre, vitamins,
bioactive or mineral content
Objectives: This study investigated the mineral, proximate, phytochemical compositions and hypoglycaemic effect of
Commelina africana
and
Ageratum conyzoides
extracts in diabetic rats, and the likely relationship between this property and the
mineral, proximate and phytochemical compositions of the plants .
Methods: The plants were subjected to mineral, proximate composition and phytochemical analysis. Attempt was made to
see (if any) the relationship between the hypoglycaemic effect and the mineral, proximate compositions and phytochemistry
of the plants. Alloxan-induced diabetic animals were administered 500mg/kg body weight aqueous extracts of the plants
and glibenclamide as the reference hypoglycaemic agent.
Results: Aqueous extract of
Ageratum conyzoides reduced fasting blood glucose of experimental animals by 39.1% while
Commelina africana reduced the same by 78.0%. Alkaloids, cardenolides, saponins, and tannins were detected in both plants.
Anthraquinones was absent in
C. africana but a trace of it was detected in
A. conyzoides. The hypoglycaemic effect of
Commelina africana was comparable with the reference hypoglycaemic agent.
Ageratum conyzoides showed comparably weaker
hypoglycaemic effect than exhibited by reference hypoglycaemic agent. Comparatively,
Commelina africana had higher mineral
concentrations (except Na) than
Ageratum conyzoides.
Conclusions: Plants’ extracts minerals (magnesium, potassium and iron) and bioactive components (alkaloids and
cardenolides) seemingly enhanced their hypoglycaemic effect. Furthermore, these minerals, alkaloids and cardenolides could
be helpful in ameliorating complications of diabetes like hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
