EFFECTS OF MANIHOT ESCULENTA LEAF EXTRACT ON LIVER LEVELS OF ALBUMIN IN STREPTOZOTOCIN - TREATED RATS.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia due to insufficient insulin secretion or resistance to insulin action. Streptozotocin (STZ), a compound derived from Streptomyces achromogenes, is commonly used to induce diabetes in experimental models by selectively destroying pancreatic β-cells. One key indicator of liver function in diabetic conditions is albumin, a major plasma protein synthesized by the liver. Reduced albumin levels may reflect impaired hepatic synthetic activity, inflammation, or protein loss. This study investigated the effects of Manihot esculenta (cassava) leaf extract on liver and serum albumin concentrations in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Thirty adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: Group 1 (basal control), Group 2 (positive control: STZ + 100 mg/kg metformin), Group 3 (negative control: STZ only), and Groups 4, 5, and 6 (STZ + Manihot esculenta extract at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg respectively). After 28 days of treatment, albumin levels were analyzed in liver and serum samples. The negative control group showed a significant reduction in liver and serum albumin levels (1.21 ± 0.12 and 1.97 ± 0.18 g/dL, respectively), indicating hepatic dysfunction caused by STZ. Treatment with Manihot esculenta extract resulted in a dose-dependent improvement. The 400 mg/kg group showed the highest albumin restoration (liver: 1.95 ± 0.02 g/dL; serum: 2.99 ± 0.04 g/dL), approaching values observed in the basal control and metformin-treated groups. These findings suggest that Manihot esculenta leaf extract has hepatoprotective effects in diabetic conditions and may help restore liver synthetic function by improving albumin production.