GROWTH AND ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITIES OF PEPEROMIA PELLUCIDA L. PLANTS GROWN UNDER DIFFERENT WATERING REGIMES

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the potency of Peperomia pellucida plants grown under different watering regimes.  Two weeks old seedlings were subjected to daily, 3-days, 5-days and 7-days interval of watering regimes for six weeks.  The plant heights, total leaf area, fresh weights and dry weights of plants were measured weekly for six weeks.  The rate of growth (all parameters) reduced significantly over time (p < 0.05) as watering regime is prolonged from 3 days to 7 days.  Plants were harvested six weeks after watering, dried and blend to powder.  The total saponins, total tannins, total alkaloids, total flavonoids and total phenols were analysed.  The concentration of phenols and saponins decreased as watering interval increases while the concentration of tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids increased.  Alkaloids and tannins were absent in plants watered daily.  The study shows presence and concentration of these phytochemicals in plants must be related to soil water availability.  Alloxan-induced diabetic rats were fed with extracts from plants subjected to the different watering regimes.  The body weight of diabetic rats increased significantly (p < 0.05) with continued treatment with plant extracts (no significant difference between plant extracts) while the blood glucose level decreased significantly (p < 0.05) over time.   The blood glucose level of diabetic rats treated with extracts of plants watered at 5-days interval and plants watered at 7-days interval reduced to levels (171 8 mg/ml  and 165 11 mg/ml respectively) that were insignificantly different from that diabetic rats treated with standard drug, glibenclamide (152 14mg/ml)  by 21 days of treatment.  The study suggests that P. pellucida is may be useful as a therapeutic agent in the management of diabetes mellitus and further shows that the potency may be improved by subjecting the plant to water stress.