Gastro-Protective Role and Effect on Glucose Metabolism of Tetrapleura Tetraptera (Aidan Fruit) Extract in Rats

This study investigated the gastro-protective effect of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Aidan fruit) methanol extract against ethanol-induced gastrointestinal ulcers and changes in rates of glucose metabolism in rats. Extract was prepared from the fruit and subjected to acute toxicity test. In the gastro-protective study, 40 rats assigned to 4 groups of 10 rats each were treated with graded doses of the extract for 14 days. Group 1 was untreated and served as control, group 2 was treated with 20 mg/kg body weight of Omeprazole. Groups 3 and 4 received 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight of the extract, respectively. At the end of treatment, 5 rats from each group were selected and administered 10 ml/kg of 96% ethanol to induce ulcer. After 1 hour, the induced rats were sacrificed under anaesthesia and their stomachs were harvested for macroscopic ulcer assessment. Juice collected from the stomachs were also subjected to pH, pepsin activity and total acidity tests. The remaining 5 rats from each group were also sacrificed and used for the extractible mucus weight study. In the glucose metabolism study, another set of 20 rats assigned to 4 groups of 5 rats each were treated such that while group 1 was the control, group 2 received 50 metformin (50 mg/kg body weight) and groups 3 and 4 received 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight of the extract, respectively. Thirty minutes after treatment, each rat was administered 3 ml of 50% glucose solution via the oral route. Blood glucose levels of the rats were measured at intervals to assess rates of glucose metabolism. Results obtained showed a lethal dose value >5000 mg/kg body weight for the extract. In the ulcer study, the extract significantly inhibited ulcer severity scores in the rats when compared with the control (p<0.05), and also decreased gastric acidity in a dose-dependent pattern, comparing favourably with results obtained for the Omeprazole-treated group. Extractible mucus weights were also significantly higher in the extract-treated groups than the control (p<0.05). Increased rates of glucose metabolism, lower percentage weight gains and increased values of serum antioxidant parameters were also observed in the extract-treated rats when compared with control (p<0.05). Therefore, Aidan fruit may be a safe agent for use in the prevention of ethanol-induced ulcers. The agent may also be of value in strengthening the activity of the pancreas and controlling glucose levels in diabetes mellitus.