Hypoglycaemic Effects of Viscous Preparation ofIrvingia gabonensis(Dikanut) Seeds in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

Although there has a been report on the antidiabetic effect of the seeds of Irvingia gabonensis in rats, the dose and mode of administration as a supplement of chow did not reflect the manner of consumption in West Africa. We therefore administered a total daily dose of 2 g/kg per os as a viscous form of the ground seeds at 12-h intervals to streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. After three weeks, fasting blood glucose level, liver pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities were determined. Results indicate decreases in blood glucose (P < 0.05), pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities (P < 0.05); and a higher glucose-6-phosphatase activity (P < 0.05) in dikanut-fed diabetic rats compared with others not fed dikanuts. These indices were comparable between dikanut-fed diabetic and normoglycaemic control rats. It is concluded that the ground seeds of dikanuts prepared in stew form and eaten in large amounts may be a useful adjunct in the management of type-2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in cultures in which staple foods are carbohydrate-based.