Preventive Effect of Bridelia micrantha Leaf Extract on Insulin Resistance and Dyslipidaemia in Rats Fed with High Salt Diet

The preventive effect of Bridelia micrantha leaf extract on insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia in high-salt diet rats were investigated. Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six rats each. Group one serves as control and was fed with normal feed for 6 weeks, group 2 was fed with high salt diet only for 6 weeks while groups 3 and 4 were fed with high-salt diet and orally administered methanol extract of Bridelia micrantha leaf at a dose of 50 and 200 mg/kg/day simultaneously for 6 weeks. At the end of the study, fasting blood glucose level, fasting blood insulin level and lipid profile and were measured. Homeostasis model of assessment for IR (HOMA-IR), triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index triglyceride (TG)/HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C ratios were estimated. Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and TyG levels of rats given high-salt diet only significantly increased compared with control showing induction of insulin resistance. There was also impaired glucose tolerance and dyslipidaemia in the high-salt diet only rats. The high-salt diet rats administered Bridelia micrantha at doses of 50 and 200 mg/kg/day lower the above parameters significantly when compared with the group given only high-salt diet, with stronger impact by the methanolic extract. In Conclusion, oral administration of Bridelia micrantha leaf extract could prevent the development of insulin resistance and hyperlipidaemia in high-salt diet-fed rat. Keywords : Bridelia micrantha, high-salt diet, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia