Antidiabetic Potential of Tragia involucrata Linn in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Swiss Albino Mice Corroborates its Usage by Diabetic Patients in Nyamira County, Kenya

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic chronic condition that is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and the resulting complications of the disease include nephropathy, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease. Although there are many options for using synthetic antidiabetic drugs, the use of these drugs has been limited due to side effects, the cost of the drugs and limited access to the drugs, especially in developing countries. In this research study we evaluated the chemical composition of Tragia involucrata Linn leaves that have been extracted using Dichloromethane (DCM), the ability of the extracts to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetic mice and the safety profile of the extracts. Blood glucose levels were monitored hourly and weekly in alloxan induced diabetic Swiss albino mice after intraperitoneal injection of extracts of T. involucrata at doses of 120, 170, 220 and 270 mg/kg bw. The results of the GC-MS analyses of the extracts indicated the presence of bioactive compounds such as phytol, squalene, beta-sitosterol and hydrocarbon chains of varying length which are all known to be effective in reducing elevated blood sugar levels. The extracts of T. involucrata were found to have a dose dependent hypoglycemic effect and the highest dose (270 mg/kg bw) reduced glucose levels in a rapid and sustained manner similar to the standard treatment. These results also show that the extracts of T. involucrata elicited an acute glycemic response when measured hourly but showed evidence of long-term efficacy when measured weekly over a period of 28 days. Both the acute and subacute toxicity studies of the DCM extracts of T. involucrata demonstrated no mortality or major toxic signs in the mice treated with the extracts. Results from biochemical markers assessment, specifically for alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, urea, creatinine and bilirubin did not reveal any significant perturbations, demonstrating that the liver and kidney were functioning normally with minor stress at higher doses. Safety evaluation was also conducted through measurement of organ weights of key organs, including the liver, kidneys, spleen, heart, lungs and brain. The absence of significant changes in these organ weights supports the favorable safety profile of the extract. The findings validate the traditional usage of the medicinal plant by diabetic patients in Nyamira County, Kenya. Future comprehensive studies of the T. involucrata should focus on antidiabetic properties of pure bioactive compounds and lead molecules identification for drug discovery and development.