Aqueous Extract of the Stem Bark of Baillonella toxisperma and Its Protective Effects on Dexamethasone Induced Insulin Resistance in Rats

To evaluate the effects of the aqueous extract of Baillonella toxisperma stem bark on dexamethasone
induced insulin resistance in rats, a quantitative phytochemical study has done extract for the
quantification of bioactive compound such as: total phenol, flavonoid, and flavonol. The induction of
insulin resistance has been done by intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) for 8 day;
metformin (40 mg/kg) and aqueous extract (60, 120 and 240 mg/kg) were administrated orally, one
hour before intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone. During this experiment, body weight and
blood glucose level were evaluated the first and the last day (days 1 and 8) and a glucose tolerant
test was performed in rats the last day. Thereafter, animals were sacrificed and blood samples were
collected for the determination of lipids parameters, transaminases (ALT and AST) and total protein
level. Organs such as: liver, pancreas, and kidneys were also collected for the relative organ weight
determination. At the end of this study, the results showed that the aqueous extract of B. toxisperma
contain a high quantity of phenols, flavonoids, and flavonols, significantly reversed the metabolic
alterations (lipid profile, protein level, and transaminase activity) induced by dexamethasone in rats.
This extract significantly decreased (p < 0.05; p < 0.01) postprandial hyperglycemia in insulin
resistance rats at dose of 60 and 120 mg/kg. The results suggest that Baillonella toxisperma would be
able to correct the metabolic alteration induced by insulin resistance and thus, may be useful for the
treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.