DELIVERY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF MISTLETOE AS SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES IMPROVES THE TIME TO ONSET OF ANTI-DIABETIC ACTION AND THE OVERALL SURVIVAL RATE
Nzekwe ITa*, Ofoekii JNa, Agubata COb, Mbah CCb, Okoye IEa
a Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
b Department of Pharmaceutical Technology & Industrial Pharmacy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 9(1): 102-111; June/July 2017
ABSTRACT
Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus) is documented as a traditional treatment for diabetes. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-diabetic properties of solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with aqueous extracts of the leaves and stem of mistletoe on alloxan-induced diabetic mice. The plant parts were harvested and dried, then extracted by infusion. Phytochemical tests were conducted on the extract followed by formulation into solid lipid nanoparticles by the method of hot pre-emulsion and subsequently homogenization and dilution in ice-cold water. The extract-loaded nanoparticles were evaluated for size, thermal stability, drug loading, and in vivo hypoglycaemic activity (with determination of test animal percentage survival). The phytochemical tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and glycosides. The solid-lipid nanoparticles (SLN) loaded with aqueous mistletoe exhibited significant blood glucose lowering (p < 0.01) after 24 h and this activity was superior to that obtained with metformin (500 mg/70 kg) or the extract (16 mg/70 kg or 500 mg/70 kg). The blood glucose level returned to normal by the 7th day following the induction of diabetes and administration of the extract at 16 mg/70kg. Formulation of the aqueous extract of mistletoe as solid lipid nanoparticles improves the time to onset of action and also percentage survival rate.
KEYWORDS: Loranthus micranthus, diabetes, nanoparticles, lipid, delivery, mistletoe
Email of correspondence: it.nzekwe@unizik.edu.ng