Evaluation of Anti-diabetic, Hepatoprotective and Antilipidemic Potentials of Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) on Albino Rats

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-diabetic, hepatorenoprotective and antilipidemic potentials of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) in albino rats.

Study Design: This study is a non-randomized experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, between September, 2019 and December, 2019.

Methodology: Thirty-five male Wister rats with weight between 145 to 150 g were randomly selected into seven groups of five rats each. The first group served as Negative control (group 1). The second group was the positive control (Diabetic group). The remaining five groups being the treatment groups (3-7). Diabetes was induced intraperitoneally with 65 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) single dose. Group 3 Diabetic group treated with metformin (100 mg/kg); Group 4 Diabetic group treated with low dose clove (250 mg/kg). Group 5 Diabetic group treated with low dose clove and metformin; Group 6 Diabetic group treated with high dose clove (750 mg/kg), while Group 7 were Diabetic group treated with high dose clove (750 mg/kg) and metformin for six weeks. Blood samples were collected via cardiac puncture in appropriate EDTA, heparinized and sterile bottles for standard laboratory investigations of lipid profile, glucose, liver enzymes, urea and creatinine. Plasma lipid profile, liver enzymes, urea and creatinine were determined using enzymatic end point method under standard operating procedures. Statistical analysis was done using Graph Pad Prism Version 5.03 and p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Results revealed that the STZ-induced diabetic group exhibited highly significant increase in activity of liver enzymes AST, ALT and ALP, increase in the levels of urea, creatinine, glucose and most lipid profile parameters as compared to the negative control group (p<0.001). Histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissues of diabetic rats indicated slight changes. However, their changes were overcame by clove treatment and the majority of the cells tend to be normal. Low dose clove group 5 (250 mg/kg) with metformin decreased the levels of the analytes most when compared to the levels of the positive control group. For glucose, group 5 gave a mean glucose level of 4.40 ± 1.08 mmo/l, significantly lower than the positive control group 39.67 ± 0.67, ALT group 5 gave a mean ALT level of 56.00 ± 7.11, which was significantly lower than the positive control group 205.70 ± 14.79, for urea group 5 gave a mean urea level of 4.25 ± 0.77 which was significantly lower the control group 23.80 ± 3.56 at p < 0.001, thereby yielding a better treatment result.

Conclusion: In conclusion, low dose clove supplementation with metformin could be excellent adjuvant support in the therapy of diabetes mellitus and its complications.