Effect of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L) On Blood Glucose Level in Normal and Diabetic Wistar Rats

The use of medicinal plants as traditional medicine is made possible as a result of the presence of bioactive metabolite in plants which form the basis of herbal medication. Hence, the objectives of this paper was to check the effect of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) on blood glucose level in normal and diabetic wistar rats using appropriate standard methods. The result showed that there were significant differences in water and food intake of the rats across the treatment groups (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in fasting blood glucose levels of the rats across the treatment groups (p < 0.05). The histological plates also provide visual evidence of the effects of low dosage, moderate dosage, and high dosage of cocoa extracts on pancreatic tissue in a rat model of diabetes. While low dosage of the extract appears to have a positive impact on tissue architecture and islet regeneration, moderate and high dosage of cocoa extract may have limited benefits in reversing diabetes-induced changes. These results provide a foundation for future research into the therapeutic potential of these extracts in managing diabetes.