Aqueous Leaf Extract of Heliotropium Indicum Ameliorates Hyperglycaemia-Induced Tissue Complications in Albino Rats

Background: Heliotropium indicum is used by traditional medical practitioners in North Central Nigeria for the management of ailments including diabetes. However, the folkloric use of H. indicum as antidiabetic has been asserted, but its roles on the hyperglycemia-induced organ-specific complications are not yet scientifically proven. Thus, ameliorative effect of aqueous leaf extract of H. indicum on selected toxicological parameters in hyperglycaemic rats was investigated in this study. Methods: Twenty-five rats were randomized into five groups. The study was carried out at the Animal Holding Unit, Biochemistry Department, University of Ilorin in 2013. Four groups were intraperitoneally administered singly with 150 mg/kg b.wt of alloxan to induce hyperglycemia. The normal control (NC) and hyperglycaemic control (HC) groups were administered 1 ml distilled water, while the reference group (HR) were administered 14.2 mg/kg b.wt of metformin and the test groups, H30 and H75 were administered 30 and 75 mg/kg b.wt, the extract respectively for fourteen days. Results: The significantly increased (P