PHARMACOGNOSTIC SCREENING AND NUTRACEUTICAL EVALUATION OF THE METHANOL EXTRACT OF THE UNRIPE FRUIT OF MUSA PARADISIACA. LINN (MUSACEAE).

ABSTRACT Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits. Nutraceutical products can be considered non-specific biological therapies used to promote general well-being, control symptoms, and prevent malignant processes. Their role in human nutrition is one of the most important areas of investigation, with wide-raging implications for consumers, healthcare providers, regulators, food producers, and distributors. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized, by hyperglycemia, glycosuria, hyperlipidemia, negative nitrogen balance and sometimes ketoanaemia. This disease is caused by the inability of the tissue to carry out normal metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins due to an absolute or relative lack of insulin. The unripe fruit of Musa paradisiaca is highly nutritious, and is a widely consumed fruit throughout the world especially in the tropics. The plant is characterized by different features in morphology and microscopy. The plant appears to have a broad spectrum of activity on several ailments when ingested as food and it has been explored for its Analgesic activity, Antidepressant activity, Adaptogenic activity, Anticonvulsant activity, Antidiarrhoeal activity, Antiulcerative activity, Antimicrobial activity, Antidiabetic activity, Antioxidant activity, Antilipidemic activity, Antihypertensive activity etc. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the unripe fruit of Musa paradisiaca revealed the presence of Flavonoids, Saponins, Alkaloid, Tannins, Proteins and Carbohydrate. These phytoconstituents might constitute its therapeutic effects. This study is aimed for the Nutraceutical evaluation of the unripe fruit of Musa paradisiaca with its Anti- diabetic property the choice experiment. The extract was obtained by maceration with methanol and was evaporated in the water bath at 80℃. The anti-diabetic test was performed by inducing fifteen (15) healthy Albino wistar rats of both sexes which were grouped into five (5) containing three (3) rats each. Using Alloxan Monohydrate at a dose of 200mg/kg Intraperitoneally. The extracts were made into three concentrations: High (600mg/kg). Medium (400mg/kg) and Low (200mg/kg). The 4th group was administered distilled water at 0.5 mls. The 5th group was treated with the standard drug Glibenclamide which was dosed at 0.2mg/kg. Acute Toxicity tests were also carried out to ascertain the safety of the extract. And at highest dose of 5000mg/kg the extract was relatively safe as no death was recorded after 24 hours.