International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences | Vol. 15, No. 9, September 2025 | pp. 65–72

DOI: 10.46882/2025/IJMMS/150065

Original Research Article

Hypoglycemic and Antilipidemic Effects of Tetrapleura tetraptera Methanolic Fruit Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Mustapha T. Gidado¹, Rose C. Obi², Elizabeth W. Wanjiku¹*

¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

²Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract:

Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus precipitates secondary atherogenic dyslipidemia, accelerating systemic macrovascular changes. This animal study investigated the hypoglycemic and antilipidemic profiles of a crude methanolic fruit extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera (METT) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Hyperglycemia was induced via a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (55 mg/kg). Thirty-five rats were divided into 5 groups: Normal Control, Diabetic Control, Metformin reference control (150 mg/kg), and two diabetic groups treated orally with METT at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight daily for 21 days. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were monitored weekly, and serum lipid fractions were quantified at study completion. Oral administration of 400 mg/kg METT for 21 days resulted in a significant reduction in mean FBG from 17.52 ± 1.24 mmol/L to 6.12 ± 0.48 mmol/L (p < 0.01), showing comparable efficacy to the metformin group (5.74 ± 0.35 mmol/L). Furthermore, METT treatment significantly corrected diabetic dyslipidemia, lowering serum Total Cholesterol (from 4.65 ± 0.38 mmol/L to 2.74 ± 0.18 mmol/L, p < 0.01), Triglycerides (from 2.24 ± 0.15 mmol/L to 1.18 ± 0.11 mmol/L, p < 0.01), and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C), while significantly increasing High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations (p < 0.05). Tissue analysis showed that METT lowered pancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and restored endogenous catalase activity (p < 0.01). Tetrapleura tetraptera fruits possess potent antidiabetic and hypolipidemic properties, confirming their ethnobotanical usage for managing metabolic disorders.

Keywords: Tetrapleura tetraptera, Diabetes Mellitus, Streptozotocin, Hypoglycemic, Dyslipidemia, Pancreatic Islets

Manuscript Timeline: Received: June 15, 2025; Revised: July 22, 2025; Accepted: August 14, 2025; Published: September 16, 2025.

Citation: Gidado MT, Obi RC, Wanjiku EW. Hypoglycemic and Antilipidemic Effects of Tetrapleura tetraptera Methanolic Fruit Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2025, 15(9): 65–72. DOI: 10.46882/2025/IJMMS/150065

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