Aframomum melegueta seeds ethanol extract reduces food intake, body weight, and hyperglycaemia in high-fat-diet streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats

Objective: This study investigated the therapeutic potential of Aframomum melegueta ethanol seed extract (AMsext) and compared it with the standard drug, metformin, in high-fat-diet streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) Wistar rats. Methods: Thirty high-fat diet (HFD) streptozotocin-induced T2DM male Wistar rats (FBG >240mg/dl) were randomised into five groups: 1. High-fat-diet normal control (HNC), 2. non-treatment diabetic control (NtDC), and 3. Treatment diabetic groups: 3a = Diabetes +100 mg/kg metformin (Metf), 3b = Diabetes +150 mg/kg AMsext (AMsext150), and 3c = Diabetes +300 mg/kg AMsext (AMsext300). Relative food intake (RFI) was calculated while body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) level were determined using standard methods. Results: Treatment for seven days reduced FBG level in AMsext300 (181.33 ± 63.14, p = 0.004) and Meft (168.00 ± 60.02, p = 0.002) groups compared to NtDC (394.00 ± 67.82). In 14 days, FBG level was reduced in AMsext150 (181.67± 58.62, p = 0.004), AMsext300 (148.00 ± 29.46, p = 0.001) and Metf (112.67±10.60, p = 0.000) compared to NtDC (355.67 ± 64.42). Relative food intake was markedly reduced in AMsext300 (58.51± 20.24, p = 0.024) and Metf (54.29 ± 24.59, p = 0.009) compared to NtDC (98.23 ± 1.21). Rats in the AMsext300 group had 39% greater body weight loss compared to AMsext150 and Metf groups. Conclusion: AMsext reduced food intake, body weight, and hyperglycaemia in a dose-dependent manner comparable to metformin. Findings validate the ethnnomedicinal and complementary use of Aframomum melegueta seeds in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and weight control.