Extraction, quantification and determination of some physicochemical properties of “whole neem seed oil” and its “fractionated portions” and their effect on the lowering of blood sugar levels in alloxan induced diabetic rabbits.
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Date
2005-11-03
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Abstract
A mass of 2.562kg of dried and milled seeds of neem tree, Azadirachta indica, family Meliaceae, was refluxed continuously at a temperature of 60 °C using 5.2L of petroleum ether (40-60 °C) and a mass of 950.04g (1050m1) of the neem seed oil which represents a percentage yield of 41.96% was obtained. The neem seed oil had an acid value of 4.56±0.11, saponification value of 191.25±0.84, a pH of 4.85±0.15, a refractive index of
1.4653 at 29 °C, a density of 0.9048 at 29 °C and a bitter taste.
On fractionation of 500ml of the whole neem seed oil, the acidic portion constituted the largest portion with a mass and pH of 226.26g (250m1) and 4.3 5±0.10 respectively whiles the basic portion constituted the smallest portion with a mass and pH of 67.88g (75ml) and 8.50 ±0.24 respectively. The neutral portion had a mass and pH of 144.80g (l6Oml) and 7.75 ±0.01 respectively.
2.5m1/kg of the whole neem seed oil and its fractionated portions were administered to alloxan induced diabetic rabbits to monitor their hypoglycaemic effect for five days.
1-lypoglycaemic effect was observed in the whole neem seed oil and its fractionated portions. The whole neem seed oil and the acidic portion of the neem seed oil had extremely significant effect (P<0.001), the basic portion of the neem seed oil had a very significant effect (P<0.01) whiles the neutral portion of the neem seed oil had no significant effect (P>0.05) when compared with glibenclamide at the end of the fifth day. The data suggests that the whole neem seed oil and the acidic portion of the neem seed oil could be of benefit in controlling the blood sugar in diabetes mellitus.
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A thesis submitted to the College of Health Sciences in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award for the degree of Master of Science, 2005