ABSTRACT
Several plants have been used in the treatment of various disorders without scientific basis. The present study examine the pancreatic effect of Buchholzia coriacea formulated diet in sucrose-fed pregnant rats and their offspring. Buchholzia coriacea seeds were obtained from Ogbete main market, Enugu state, identified, dried and grounded using a miller machine. 10% of the seed powder was used to formulate their diet. Thirty (240) adult female and six (6) adult male albino rats (180-250 g) were used in this study. High sucrose (20%) were given via drinking water to animals before, during and after pregnancy. Group A; Control normal was administered distilled water, group B received sucrose + 10% Buchholzia Coriacea formulated diet (BCFD), Group C; untreated rats were administered sucrose and distilled water while Group D received 10% Buchhoiza Coriacea formulated diet (BCFD) only. All animals were sacrificed following overnight fast by anaesthetic does of diethylether and cervical dislocation. Blood samples were obtained through cardiac puncture error of mean. SUC (20%) (untreated) significantly elevated blood glucose levels (P<0.05); Leptin (P<0.05) and LPO of the pancreas (P<0.05); (when compared with normal control group. However, following treatment with BCFD, the blood glucose level in treated rats were significantly reduced when compared with the untreated group. Interestingly, all offspring showed reduced blood glucose level, leptin level and low MDA level in the pancreas except for the negative control whose offspring showed significant increase (P<0.05) in the paramenters when compared with the normal group. In conclusion, this research suggests that Buchholzia Coriacea seeds has protective effect on the damage induced by high sucrose diet on the pancreas of pregnant rats as well as their offsprings
