Expression Levels of Some Genes in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats Treated with Extracts of Anona Muricata and Vernonia Amgdalina

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion or insulin action. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of some selected genes (Interleukin -1 (IL-1), Tumour necrosis factor (TNF), Glucose transporter 2 (GLUT-2), Phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK-1), and Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats treated with extracts of V. amgdalina and Annona muricata. Thirty male wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (1−5): group 1 was the normal control, group 2 served as the diabetic control, group 3 were the diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide (standard drug), while groups 4 and 5 were the diabetic rats treated with 200mg/kg body weight of extracts of Vernonia amgdalina and Annona muricata respectively. Treatment with extract was for four weeks, after which the animals were sacrificed and the liver tissues collected for gene studies and histological evaluations. Data from the study showed that diabetes resulted in a significant(p≤0.05) increase in the expression of the genes Interleukin -1 (IL-1), Tumour necrosis factor (TNF), with a significant(p≤0.05) decrease in expression of the genes Glucose transporter 2 (GLUT-2), Phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK-1), and Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR). Treatment with extracts of Vernonia amgdalina and Annona muricata demonstrated significant improvements in the expression of Glut-2, PFK-1, PPAR genes and decreased expression of IL-1 and TNF genes. Histological damage caused to the pancreas by streptozotocin was also restored by treatment with the plant extracts.