B.I Aguh - Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
I.H Nock - Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
I.S Ndams - Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
A Agunu - Department of Pharmacognosy and Drug Development, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

The present investigation was aimed at evaluating the hypolipidemic properties of methanolic leaf extracts of Bauhinia rufescens (MLEBR) on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Alloxan was injected intraperitoneally as a single dose of 150mg/kg for diabetes induction in the rats. Animals were orally treated for 4 consecutive weeks with MLEBR at doses of 200, 300 400mg/kg and Glibenclamide. The effects of the extracts and Glibenclamide on lipid profile and body weight (BW) were examined on the diabetic rats. Total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLD-C) and triglycerides (TG) levels at sacrifice (day 29) were estimated. Normal and Diabetic rats that were given normal saline only were used for comparison. Alloxan-induced diabetic rats showed moderate to significant increases in the levels of TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C and TG while body weight and HDL-C levels decreased compared to controls (non diabetic rats). Administration of the plant extracts to Alloxan-induced diabetic rats resulted in a significant decrease in TC, LDL-C, VLDL-C and TG and the dose 200 mg/kg of the MLEBR was the most effective; HDL-C level was markedly increased after four weeks post treatment compared to untreated diabetic rats. It can also be noticed that the MLEBR, especially the dose 200 mg/kg (p<0.01), produced more effects than glibenclamide. Rats treated with glibenclamide (5mg/kg) generally gave lower results compared to groups treated with the plant extracts. Results of the present study showed that methanolic leaf extracts of Bauhinia rufescens has beneficial effects on diabetic hyperlipidemia as such could be advanced in preventing thedevelopment of atherosclerosis and possible related cardiovascularpathologies associated with diabetes.

Bauhinia rufescens, Lipid profile, Diabetic rats, Atheroslerosis