3. Results

each of dark and light cycle. The rats were allowed free access to standard laboratory food and

The animals were fasted overnight and diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of freshly prepared 150 mg/kg b.w alloxan monohydrate dissolved in (5%) sterile saline. Two days after alloxan injection, rats with blood glucose level of >12 mmol/L were separated and considered diabetic and were used for the study. Blood glucose levels were measured using blood glucose test strips with fine test glucometer (infopia Co. limited Korea). The treatment started 48 hours after alloxan injection and this was considered the first day of

Animals were divided into six groups, and for each group, six animals were treated orally once

At the end of the experimental period, food was withdrawn from the rats and they were fasted overnight while the animals had free access to water. They were then euthanized under diethyl ether vapor and sacrificed. Venous blood was collected from the experimental animals and serum was prepared by centrifuging the blood samples at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes and serum collected by pipetting. The animals were quickly dissected and internal organs including liver and kidney were collected, blotted using filter paper to remove traces of blood and then weighed with an analytical balance. The pancreas, liver and kidney were suspended in ice-cold 0.25 M sucrose solution (1:5 m/v) and homogenized as described by Akanji and Yakubu [17].

Comparisons were made using Duncan's multiple range test, and values were considered to be

water ad libitum throughout the experiment.

treatment. The treatment continued for 14 days.

2.4. Animal grouping and extract administration

Group A: Control rats received distilled water only.

Group C: Diabetic rats received Glibenclamide at a dose of 5 mg/kg.

Group D: Diabetic rats received 200 mg/kg body weight extract. Group E: Diabetic rats received 400 mg/kg body weight extract. Group F: Diabetic rats received 800 mg/kg body weight extract.

2.3. Induction of diabetes

60 Diabetes Food Plan

a day for 14 days as follows:

Group B: Diabetic control.

2.5. Samples preparation

2.6. Statistical analysis

significant at p < 0.05.

### 3.1. Phytochemical constituents of ethanolic extract of Corchorus olitorius leaf

Table 1 shows the results of the preliminary phytochemical analysis of the leaf extract. Analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phlobatannin anthraquinones, phenol, cardiac glycoside and saponin while Terpenoids, Steroids, Triterpenes were not detected.
