背景：Spondiasvenulosa是一种药用植物，其叶子在尼日利亚东北部广泛用作治疗糖尿病的首选药用植物数十年。这一说法尚未得到科学证明。
目的：进行本研究以确定物理化学特征，急性,亚慢性毒性，和抗糖尿病活性叶提取物在四氧嘧啶诱导的糖尿病大鼠。
方法：叶叶的理化参数，急性,亚慢性毒性，使用标准程序测定四氧嘧啶诱导的糖尿病大鼠的抗糖尿病活性。所有物理化学参数一式三份进行。根据OECD指南，通过向Wistar大鼠口服2000mg/kg的最大提取物剂量进行了急性和亚慢性毒性研究。在异性大鼠中以300、600和1200mg/kg（口服）的剂量进行了亚慢性毒性和抗糖尿病研究。
结果：获得的结果表明，水分含量，水溶性提取物，和有机质的值分别为4.98±1.01、12.04±1.24和1.01±0.01％w/w。甲醇叶提取物的金属含量表明存在锌的值为12.01±1.01ppm（正常范围：<100mg/kgDM）和铜的值为6.24±2.14ppm（正常范围：<30mg/kgDM）。口服中位致死剂量（LD50）估计大于2000mg/kg，因为提取物在短期内不会产生任何毒性或死亡迹象，亚慢性毒性研究表明，提取物给药后28天，大鼠体重没有明显下降。与对照组相比,所有血液学和生化参数均未显示升高的值(p<0.05)。主要器官的组织病理学检查未显示器官损伤的迹象，这表明提取物在施用剂量下是安全的。与标准药物（格列本脲）相比，口服提取物剂量30天以剂量依赖性方式降低了四氧嘧啶诱导的糖尿病大鼠的血糖水平（p<0.05）。
结论：我们的研究显示了叶叶的一些理化参数，这些参数对于从传统医学中密切相关的物种中鉴定叶叶是必不可少的。该研究进一步表明，紫草甲醇叶提取物具有抗糖尿病活性，因此，证明其在尼日利亚用于治疗糖尿病。然而,需要鉴定和研究负责药物发现活性的生物活性化合物。
BACKGROUND: Spondias venulosa is a medicinal plant whose leaves are popularly used for decades in Northeast Nigeria as a first-choice medicinal plants for the treatment of diabetes. This claim has not been proven scientifically.
OBJECTIVE: The present study was carried out to determine the physicochemical profiles, acute, sub-chronic toxicities, and antidiabetic activity the leaf extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
METHODS: The physicochemical parameters of S. venulosa leaves, acute, subchronic toxicities, and antidiabetic activity in alloxan-induced diabetic rats were determined using standard procedures. All physicochemical parameters were carried out triplicate. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies were carried out following OECD guidelines by administering maximum extract dose of 2000 mg/kg orally to Wistar rats. Subchronic toxicity and antidiabetic studies were carried out in rats of opposite sexes at doses 300, 600, and 1200 mg/kg (orally).
RESULTS: Results obtained showed that the moisture content, water soluble extractive, and organic matter had values of 4.98 ± 1.01, 12.04 ± 1.24 and 1.01 ± 0.01% w/w respectively. The metallic contents of the methanol leaf extract revealed the presence of zinc with value of 12.01 ± 1.01 ppm (normal range:< 100 mg/kg DM) and copper with value of 6.24 ± 2.14 ppm (normal range:< 30 mg/kg DM). Oral median lethal dose (LD50) was estimated to be greater than 2000 mg/kg since the extract did not produce any sign of toxicity or death in short term while, subchronic toxicity study showed that there was no significant weight loss in the rats after 28 days of extract administration. All hematology and biochemical parameters showed no elevated values when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Histopathological examinations of major organs do not show signs of organ damages which indicate that the extract was safe at the doses administered. Oral administration of extract doses for 30 days reduced blood glucose levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats in dose-dependent manner compared (p < 0.05) to standard drug (Glibenclamide).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed some physicochemical parameters of S. venulosa leaf which are essential for its identification from closely related species in traditional medicine. The study further showed that S. venulosa methanol leaf extract possessed antidiabetic activity, thus, justifying its use for the treatment of diabetes in Nigeria. However, there is need to identify and investigate the bioactive compound(s) responsible for the activity towards drug discovery.
