Effect of Acacia nilotica fruit extract on serum glucose and lipid concentrations in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

The present investigation was performed to study the effects of Acacia nilotica Delile (Fabaceae) fruit extract on serum concentrations of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose in control and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The rats were divided into four groups: Normal Control Rats (NC), normal control rats administered A. nilotica (NC + AN), Diabetic Control rats (DC) and diabetic rats administered A. nilotica (DC + AN). Each group comprised 10 to 14 rats. The methanolic extract A. nilotica fruit was orally administered at a concentration of 200 mg kg(-1) b.wt. for 5 consecutive weeks. The A. nilotica fruit extract significantly (p < 0.005) decreased serum glucose levels in control rats after the third week. The serum glucose concentrations of diabetic rats following A. nilotica fruit extract administration did not change significantly. The A. nilotica extract showed a strong hypolipidemic effect on diabetic rats and significantly decreased serum levels of triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.02 and p < 0.001, respectively). The present findings suggest that hypolipidemic effects following oral administration ofA. nilotica fruit extract could be beneficial for treatment of diabetes related-complications and