Histological Effect of Combined Extracts of Vernonia Amygdalina and Azadirachta Indica on Normal and Diabetic Rats: the Pancreas and Liver

This study investigated in part the antidiabetic mechanism of combined extracts of V. amydalina (VA) and A. indica (AI) by evaluating the effect of a 28-day treatment on histology of pancreas and liver of normal and diabetic rats. Untreated streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats presented damaged islets, markedly shrunken in mass (< 20% in the few surviving cells) and infiltrated with lymphocytes, features significantly different from the non-diabetic control rats which showed preserved (numerous) islets cell mass devoid of fibrosis, distributed widely with well stained nuclei. But intervention with single extracts of VA, AI and in combination caused a recovery / reversal but not with sub cutaneous insulin treatment. The extent of recovery was however, partial with VA, better with AI and distinct and total with combined extracts of VA and AI. Result of histopathology of liver parallel that observed with the pancreas in terms of treatment with single and combined extracts. Combined extracts of VA and AI can protect against diabetes induced liver damage and may exert its anti-hyperglycemic action via induced islet cell regeneration in diabetes subjects.