# Antihyperglycemic and Antioxidative Stress Effects of Erythrophleum africanum (Fabaceae) Trunk Bark Powder Fractions on High‐Calorie Diet‐Induced Type 2 Diabetes in Rats

## TL;DR

This study shows that a fine powder from Erythrophleum africanum can help prevent type 2 diabetes in rats by lowering blood sugar and improving cholesterol levels.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the antihyperglycemic and antioxidative effects of fine Erythrophleum africanum powder in a rat model of type 2 diabetes.

## Key findings

- The fine powder (≤ 50 μm) of E. africanum significantly reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic rats.
- The powder improved lipid profiles by lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol.
- E. africanum powder showed less toxicity to the liver and kidneys compared to other treatments.

## Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a persistent and chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antioxidative stress effects of Erythrophyllum africanum trunk bark powder fractions in diabetes‐induced rats. 30 male rats subdivided into 6 groups of five rats each received daily a sweetened hypercaloric diet supplemented with sucrose (4 g/kg bw), except for the normal control, which received a normal diet. Normal and diabetic controls subsequently received distilled water (10 mL/kg bw per os), the positive control received metformin (20 mg/kg bw per os) and the test rats received powder fractions (≤ 50 μm ≤ 50–120 μm) or unsieved powder of
E. africanum
(300 mg/kg bw per os) for 7 weeks. Dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally once a week from the third week, except for the normal control, which received saline. Fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and biochemical parameters of oxidative stress were assessed during and at the end of treatment. Blood glucose levels of the animals at the 7th week were 0.92 ± 0.03, 1.52 ± 0.08, 0.78 ± 0.04, 0.77 ± 0.03, 1.13 ± 0.03, and 0.40 ± 0.01 g/L in the normal control, diabetic control, metformin‐treated animals, ≤ 50 μm fraction, 50–120 μm fraction, and unsieved powder, respectively. Powder fraction ≤ 50 μm significantly improved (p < 0.01) the lipid profile (decrease in triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, an increase in HDL cholesterol levels) by reducing the atherogenic index.
E. africanum
has antihyperglycemic and antioxidative stress effects and would be less toxic to the liver and kidneys. The fine powder (≤ 50 μm) of
E. africanum
could be used as a food additive to prevent the occurrence of diabetes in vulnerable patients.

The powder fraction of Erythrophleum africanum with a size less than 50 μm prevents the occurrence of type 2 diabetes induced by the combination of a high‐calorie diet and the intake of dexamethasone.
E. africanum
has antihyperglycemic and antioxidative stress effects and improves the lipid profile by reducing the atherogenic index. This plant would be less toxic to the liver and kidneys.