Effect of ethanol extract of Talinum triangulare on the antioxidant status of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

The effect of ethanol extract of Talinum triangulare on the antioxidant status of alloxan-induced diabetic rats was investigated. Twenty-five albino Wistar rats weighing between 140 and 228g were randomly assigned into five groups. Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 were administered a standard dose of alloxan to induce diabetes. Groups 1 and 2 were then treated with different doses of the ethanol extract of Talinum triangulare, respectively, for 28 days. Group 3 was treated with metformin, while Group 4 was left untreated, and Group 5 was normal. All animals were sustained with commercial feed and water ad libitum throughout the experimental period. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed after an overnight fast, and blood was collected for serum analysis. Results showed a non- significant increase (P> 0.05) in superoxide dismutase (SOD) in Groups 1 and 2 when compared with Groups 4 and 5, but there was a significant increase in Group 3 when compared with Group 4. Catalase activity was not significantly affected (P>0.05) in all the groups compared to the controls. Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was non-significantly increased (P>0.05) in Groups 1 and 2 compared to the normal and diabetic control. Malondialdehyde (MDA) showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in Group 4 compared with all the other experimental groups and the normal control. These results suggest that Talinum triangulare has anti-oxidative properties and that higher doses would have likely produced more profound effects.