Assessment of Bridelia ferruginea benth for its therapeutic potential in pregnancy-induced impaired glucose tolerance in rats

Background: Pregnancy induced diabetes also known as gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. Pregnancy is an insulin resistant state that may induce impaired glucose tolerance and often gestational diabetes in susceptible women. Gestational diabetes causes serious problems to the mother and the baby. Therefore, the use of herbal remedies such as Bridelia ferruginea with the potential ability to improve glucose tolerance during pregnancy will definitely improve pregnancy outcome in gestational diabetes. Aim: This paper presents an evaluation of possible therapeutic potential of B. ferruginea in gestational diabetes by assessing the anti-glycaemic effects of the plant's aqueous extracts on pregnancy-induced glucose intolerance in rats. Materials and Methods: Adult virgin, timed-pregnant and non-pregnant rats were subjected to brief ether anaesthesia after 18-hour overnight fasting period to allow for oro-gastric administration of glucose load at 3.0g/kg body weight as 30% solution. The oral glucose load was given at an administration volume of 1.0ml/100g bw. Results: Oral glucose tolerance test showed that pregnancy induced glucose intolerance in the rats. However, B. ferruginea caused a reduction in glycaemic response to glucose challenge and an increased glucose tolerance in rats that had pregnancy-induced glucose intolerance. Thus, diabetogenic effect of pregnancy was ameliorated by oral administration of aqueous extracts of B. ferruginea to pregnant albino rats. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]