Effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Mucuna pruriens (velvet bean) on the pancreas and pituitary gland of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Objective: This study was carried out to find out the effects of ethanolic leaf extract of Mucuna pruriens on the pancreas and pituitary gland alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
Methodology: Twenty-five (25) male rats weighing between 160 g - 200 g were purchased and acclimatized for two weeks, after which they were divided into 7 groups of 5 rats each and housed in cages. The groups were designated as groups A, B, C, D and E. Groups B - E were induced with diabetes using alloxan. Groups A and B served as control groups and received only distilled water; while groups C – D diabetic that served as test groups received Glucophage, 400 mg/kg of M. pruriens and 800 mg/kg of M. pruriens respectively for 21 days via oral route with the aid of oral intubation tube. On the 22nd day, the animals were sacrificed via chloroform inhalation, and testes were harvested for histological studies.
Result: There were poorly perfused pancreatic tissue with severe focal areas of Islets of Langerhans atrophy, and moderate to severe degeneration with necrosis of the anterior pituitary, severe scanty cytoplasm with either eosinophil or basophilic focal loss of tissues of the pancreas and pituitary gland respectively in group B when compared with the control group A and group C that received water and Glucophage respectively. These effects were ameliorated in Groups C - D that received variable doses of the ethanolic leaf extracts of M. prurines.
Conclusion: Leaf extracts of M. pruriens have ameliorating/antidiabetic effect on the histology of pancreas and pituitary gland of alloxan-induced rats.