TITLE:
Hypoglycemic and Immunomodulatory Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Vernonia ampla on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Wistar Rats
AUTHORS:
Youmbie Djanche Duplex Bonheur, Oumar Mahamat, Kada Sanda Antoine, Kiyang Rane Muluh
KEYWORDS:
Diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Immune System, Streptozotocine, Vernonia ampla
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.17 No.10,
October
9,
2026
ABSTRACT: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic syndrome of multiple etiology characterized by chronic hyperghycemia with disturbances of carbohydrates, fats and proteins metabolisms resulting from defects in insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells and insulin action or both. Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of different organs, including the kidneys. The present study aimed to determine the hypoglycemic and immunomodulatory effects of aqueous leaf extract of Vernonia ampla on streptozotocin-induced diabetes in Wistar rats. A total of 30 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of 5 rats as follows: Normal control. Diabetic control: high fat diet, 35 mg/kg streptozotocin + distilled water. Reference control drug: high fat diet, 35 mg/kg streptozotocin + 500 mg/kg metformin. Aqueous extract 125 mg/kg: high fat diet, 35 mg/kg streptozotocin + 125 mg/kg aqueous extract. Aqueous extract 250 mg/kg: high fat diet, 35 mg/kg streptozotocin + 250 mg/kg aqueous extract. Aqueous extract 500 mg/kg: high fat diet, 35 mg/kg streptozotocin + 500 mg/kg aqueous extract. The body weights of animals in the diabetic control, significantly increased during the treatment as compared to the normal control p α, IL-1β and IL-10) as compared with the normal control group p α, IL-1β and modulates IL-10 with increasing dosage of extract as compared to diabetic control p V. ampla have hypoglycemic properties, immunomodulatory effects, and renal effects that appear to be dose-dependent.