Evaluation of the Effect of an Aqueous Extract of Psidium guajava (Guava) Leaves on the Frontal Cortex of Diabetic Wistar Rats

Background and Objective: Psidium guajava is a medicinal plant used for the treatment and management of numerous ailments including diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of aqueous extract of Psidium guajava on the frontal cortex of diabetic Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty male adult Wistar rats were randomly selected into five groups made up of six Wistar rats each, control, diabetic control, diabetic+metformin, diabetic+guava and guava only groups. The induction of diabetes was done using streptozotocin at a dose of 70 mg/kg b.wt. and undergo elevation in blood glucose levels, after 72 hrs of established hyperglyemia treatment begin with aqueous guava extract at 400 mg/kg b.wt. and metformin at 100 mg/kg b.wt., respectively and was given orally for 4 weeks. Results: The average body weight and relative brain weight of the diabetic+guava and diabetic+metformin was significant when compared to the diabetic group (p<0.05). Diabetic+guava became normoglycemic at week 3 while diabetic+metformin at week 4. The histological examination of frontal cortex of the diabetic rats showed disruption in histoarchitecture with necrotic astrocyte and pyramidal cells. Diabetic+guava and diabetic+metformin revealed little damage in the astrocyte and pyramidal cells in their histoarchitecture. Guava only was similar to control. The analysis of the reduced Glutathione (GSH), Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in the frontal cortex revealed that the rats in the diabetic+guava leaves and diabetic+metformin are similar to the control group. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of guava leaves showed remedial effects on the frontal cortex of adult male Wistar rats against the destruction caused by diabetes.