ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the methanol extract of Carica papaya pulp on redox status of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Sixteen rats weighing (110-150 g) were divided into eight (8) groups of 2 animals each; Group 1 (normal control), Group 2 (negative control) and Group 3 (positive control), Group 4 (200mg/kg of extract), Group 5 (400mg/kg of extract), Group 6 (600mg/kg of extract), Group 7(800mg/kg of extract), Group 8 (1000mg/kg of extract). All the groups, except the normal control (Group 1) were induced with single freshly prepared alloxan monohydrate (120 mg/kg body weight). Diabetes was confirmed after seven days in alloxan-induced rats showing fasting blood glucose levels 200mg/di. Administration of the extract to the diabetic rats significantly reduced (p < 0.05) glucose level when compared to the positive and negative controls. Malondialdehyde concentration of positive control group (3.94±0.04) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than for that of normal (3.02±0.05), alloxan (2.97±0.14), and extract treated groups. Across extract treatment groups, Malondialdehyde (MDA) reduced dose-dependently. the extract treated groups showed dose-dependent increase in catalase activity when compared to the positive and negative controls and this indicated increased enzyme activity due to Carica papaya extract. Vitamins A and E increased significantly in alloxan treated rats over normal rats and competed favourably with increasing extract concentrations. Superoxide (SOD) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities increased slightly in the extract treated groups when compared to the normal and negative control groups. The results of this study indicated that the methanol extract of Carica papaya in improved the redox status of the diabetic rats studied.