Vernonia amygdalina leaf is commonly used in traditional medical practice for the management of several disease conditions. This study investigated the effect of administration of the leaf protein isolate (VALPI) on some serum and liver biochemical indices - Glutathione peroxidise (GPX) and reductase, Alanineaminotrasnferase activity, serum total protein, cholesterol, and albumin. Thirty male albino rats were used in the experiment and placed into 6 groups of 5 rats each. Group A served as control. Group B contained rats given intra-peritoneal dose of alloxan that induced diabetes. Group C, D, E and F were as group B but administered line of different percentage solution - 1%, 3%, 5% or 7% respectively of VALPI for 14 days. On the 15th day the rats were euthanized, liver exercised and weighed portion homogenised in equal volume of saline. Standard protocols were used to assay for the biochemical analytes in serum and liver homogenate. Some functional properties of VALPI were assessed with standard methods. Data were subjected to single analysis of valence (ANOVA) with Tukey Kramer multiple comparison post-hol test using Graph pad, version 6 software. Mean significance were considered at 95% confidence level. Haemagluttin activity was not detected in the VALPI which also recorded low in-vitro digestibility, 34.00%+1.16. Comparable GPX activity were observed in test, control, alloxanized and not treated rats,ca257.00 + 0.01 μgGPx/ml. Comparison of other analytes in alloxanized and treated rats were significally (P<0.05) different and suggested beneficial role for administration of VALPI to diabetic rats.
Keywords:Leaf protein isolation, Euthanized, Biochemical, Analyte, Alloxanized.