Infusion of Desmodium Velutinum Improves Glycemia Reactivity and Lipid Profile in Diabetic Obese Rats MACAPOS 2

Desmodium velutinum is empirically used by the population of Cameroon eastern region in the treatment of various diseases including obesity and diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of Desmodium velutinum on type 2 diabetes MACAPOS 2 rat model. Six to eight weeks old male Wistar rats were subjected to a high fat diet for 16 weeks, after which, a low dose of streptozotocin (25 mg/Kg b.w) was injected to all rat that presented. Seven days after streptozotocin administration, 25 rats with blood sugar levels ≥126 mg/dL were selected as diabetic and used to next works. These animals were divided into groups of five rats each, receiving (esophageal gavage) a daily treatment of aqueous extract of D. velutinum at doses of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg b.w, or metformin (reference drug) at 70 mg/kg b.w, or distilled water at 10 mL/kg b.w (diabetic control group: DC) during 28 days. These animals were treated in comparison to a normal control group which received the normal diet and distilled water (10 mL/kg b.w).Water and food consumption were assessed every two days, fasting blood sugar and body weight were assessed every seven days. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were evaluated at the end of the treatment. The animals were sacrificed under ketamine and diazepam anaesthesia (50 mg/Kg and 10 mg/Kg b.w respectively) after 12 hours of fasting. Carcasses, fat tissue (subcutaneous, visceral, and peritesticular) were collected and weighted. The collected blood was centrifuged and the serum obtained was used to determine serum lipid parameters (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol). LDL-cholesterol was calculated. At the end of the treatment, diabetic control animals presented hyperglycaemia, sugar intolerance, insulin resistance associated with tissue fat (visceral, subcutaneous, and peritesticular) increased, dyslipidaemia, compared to the normal control group. Aqueous extract of D. velutinum like metformin, has reduced fasting blood sugar levels (-36.38% DV200; -38.17%Met) and improved both insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The infusion of D. velutinum significatively (p < 0.01) reduced tissue fat and serum lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol), and increased HDL-cholesterol. D. velutinum have reduced fasting glycemia and fat tissue, improve insulin sensitivity lipid profile, which would justify its empirical use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.