Diabetes is a disease characterized by a blood glucose level higher than normal. There are two types of diabetes, one is Type 1 and the other is Type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce insulin at all or enough insulin to meet its needs. This type of diabetes usually appears in childhood or adolescence, but it can also occur in adults. High blood sugar levels are the hallmark of type 2 diabetes, which develops when the body either does not make enough insulin or is unable to effectively utilize the insulin it produces (1). Diabetes is one of the most common diseases that affect humans today. According to WHO (World Health Organization), there are more than 26.9 million people with diabetes worldwide, and this number will increase to nearly double by 2030 (2).
The treatment options for diabetes include diet control and exercise as well as medications such as insulin injections or pills that lower blood glucose levels (3). In addition, some plants and food also have a positive effect on controlling blood glucose levels such as avocado leaf which has been used as herbal medicine since ancient times.
Avocado leaves are one of the major sources of natural food supplements used in traditional medicine and many countries of the world. Human consumption has been increasing over the years. In this experiment, we will explain how avocado leaves influence blood glucose levels in rats. The effects of avocado leaf on blood glucose levels were studied by measuring tissue homogenates and plasma after injection of alloxan. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in the concentration of blood glucose. This indicates that avocado leaves have the potential to reduce hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus patients; however, further research is needed for a better understanding of its mechanism of action.
Implementation of the Research
Avocado (Persea Americana Mill) is a plant species in the flowering plant family Lauraceae. Avocados are cultivated in more than 70 countries and are primarily grown for their fruit. The tree is native to South Central Mexico, classified as a perennial subshrub or shrub. It has been cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates around the world.
The avocado leaf is a tall, evergreen tree belonging to the Persea genus. The fruit of this tree is called avocado and is used for various purposes. The main purpose of using avocado leaves is to treat diabetes mellitus. However, there is little evidence to support this claim.
The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not alloxan-induced increases in blood glucose levels in white rats might be mitigated by administering water boiled with avocado leaves.
Discussion and Results of the Study
Avocado leaves are known to have a variety of uses in traditional medicine. They can be used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia, and many other diseases. In this study, the effectiveness of avocado leaves on blood sugar levels in alloxan-induced white rats was investigated and compared with metformin. The study was conducted at Manado State University.
Alloxan is a substance that is known to be harmful. Experimental animals have been given this drug to create diabetes by killing off their insulin-producing Langerhans islet cells. Some of the harm caused by free radicals is mitigated by this. This substance may be able to quench the harmful effects of free radicals.
The effect of avocado leaves on blood glucose levels in rats was studied. The test animals were divided into 5 groups: normal control, negative control, positive control (metformin), and avocado leaf boiled water with a dose of 400 mg/kg BW and 800 mg/kg BW. Blood sugar levels were measured on day 0, day 7, and day 14.
The results of this study have shown that avocado leaf boiled water has an effect of reducing blood sugar levels in rats given alloxan induction with the best concentration of 800 mg/kg BW accompanied by a decrease in blood sugar percentage of 63.80%.
