Crassocephalum rubens (C. rubens) is a traditional leafy vegetables (TLV) eaten in parts of Africa for the management of symptoms of diabetes mellitus. This study was done to investigate the in vivo anti-diabetic activity of the aqueous extract of C. rubens aerial parts (CRAQ). Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was induced in male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats by feeding them with a 10% fructose solution for two weeks followed by single dose (40 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. After confirmation of T2D, animals were treated with a low and a high dose (150 and 300 mg/kg body weight) of extract for five weeks. Parameters used as markers of hyperglycemia were analyzed in the samples collected from rats. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used in analyzing the morphological changes of the pancreas. Treatment with high dose of the extract significantly (p < 0.05) lowered blood glucose level, increased oral glucose tolerance level and pancreatic β-cell function, while restoring the morphology of the pancreatic tissue damage. The high dose also increased insulin secretion, liver glycogen, antioxidant enzyme activities in serum and organs, and prevented liver and renal damages compared to the untreated diabetic animals. Data from this study suggest that C. rubens possesses impressive anti-diabetic activity and could be useful in ameliorating some complications associated with T2D therefore this plant can be exploited in finding new alternative therapies for the treatment of T2D.
Keywords: Crassocephalum rubens; histopathology; liver glycogen; oxidative stress; type 2 diabetes.