How bitter leaf, sweet basil protect fertility in diabetics

It has been touted as the most potent herbal combination of all time. A blend of bitter leaf and scent leaf (sweet basil) promises to not just stop diabetes, the growth of breast, lung and prostate cancers but protect fertility in male diabetics. CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes.

Researchers have found that combining extracts of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and scent leaf/ sweet basil (Ocimum gratissimum) combat the adverse effects of diabetes on male fertility.

They concluded that the use of both bitter leaf and scent leaf work in synergism to produce endowed potentials which can be exploited in the development of anti-diabetic drugs that can be used as supplements.

The new study titled: “Ethanolic Extracts Of Vernonia Amygdalina And Ocimum Gratissimum Enhance Testicular Improvement In Diabetic Wistar Rats” was published in The Internet Journal of Alternative Medicine.

Another study published in American Journal of PharmTech Research concluded: “The effects of the extracts on diabetic rats’ testes showed improvements compared to the diabetic control group. It may be therefore safe to speculate that the extracts of these plants used especially when combined exert some significant improvement in combating the adverse effects of diabetes on the testes of male rats.”

The study titled: “Comparative Anti-Diabetic Effects of Ocimium Gratissimum, Vernonia Amygdalina and Insulin on Testicular Architecture in Stz-Induced Diabetic Rats was conducted by researchers from University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Imo State University, Owerri, Imo State; and Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State.

However, earlier studies had demonstrated how regular intake of herbal preparation made predominately with scent leaf and bitter leaf stop the growth of breast, lung and prostate cancers as well as diabetes.

Researchers had also found that aqueous extract of bitter leaf could be used as adjuvant in the management of people living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); and for restoration of skin colour and form as well as calming and vitalising the body.

Botanically called Vernonia amygdalina, bitter leaf is of the plant family Compositae. It is called ewuro in Yoruba and onugbu in Ibo. It is a small shrub that grows predominantly in the tropical Africa. In Nigeria, the plant is locally called bitter leaf due to its bitter taste.

Botanically called Ocimum gratissimum, scent leaf or Basil belongs to the mint family Lameacea. It is called effirin in Yoruba and nchuanwu or arigbe in Ibo.

Vernonia amygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum are among the traditionally used herbal plants to treat different ailments. Vernonia amygdalina has been found useful in the ethno therapy of asthma, schistosomiasis, malaria, measles, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, abdominal pain and fever.

Ocimum gratissimum is commonly used in cooking due to its minty aromatic flavour. Traditionally, Ocimum gratissimum has been used for the treatment of headache, diarrhoea, wart worms and kidney infections. The leaves of the African varieties of Ocimum gratissimum are said to contain thymol oil, which has been found to be highly antiseptic and also used to prevent mosquito bite. Vernonia amygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum have been found to have anti-diabetic properties and boost the immune system.

As one of the plants that form a major portion of the naturalist’s pharmacopeia in Nigeria, bitter leaf has been shown to possess diverse therapeutic effects such as anti-malarial, anti-microbial (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-plasmodial, among others), anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects.

Meanwhile, to study the effects of ethanolic extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum on the testes of diabetic rats, the researchers, in the new study, used 40 male rats. Group A consisted of eight rats, which served as non- diabetic control. The remaining rats were injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin to induce diabetes.

The rats confirmed diabetic were randomly divided into four experimental groups (B, C, D and E) made up of eight rats each. Group B served as the diabetic control and were given normal saline. Groups C, D and E received 200mg/kg body weights of Vernonia amygdalina (VA), Ocimum gratissimum (OC) and a combination of VA and OC respectively. This investigation lasted for 28 days.

Results revealed normal testicular architecture in the normal control. “Diabetic control exhibited alteration of germinal epithelium, distortion of seminiferous tubules as well as vacuolation of seminiferous tubules. The effects of the extracts on diabetic rats’ testes showed improvements compared to the diabetic control group. These improvements were more pronounced in the group D rats, which received OC than group C treated with VA. A more appreciable testicular improvement was observed in group E treated with combination of the extracts of VA and OC,” they noted.

The researchers further explained: “Regeneration of testicular tissue observed in our work after a combined administration of bitter leaf and scent leaf may suggest that these plants have antioxidant properties that can mop up free radicals produced by streptozotocin. This is in conformity with work carried out by Igile et al where certain phytochemicals of bitter leaf were isolated and their antioxidant properties were demonstrated.

“Although little information is available on the effect of scent leaf on diabetes, from our study, it was found that scent leaf had a more positive and potent effect on the tests of diabetic rats compared to bitter leaf. This may be due to the high level of alkaloids and flavonoids found in scent leaf. Alkaloids are known as the starting material in the manufacture of steroidal drugs.

“Flavonoids are functional as disease resistant; scent leaf also contains tannins that inhibit oxidation. These components of scent leaf put together may be responsible for the result obtained. The alkaloids may have triggered the production of testosterone, flavonoids may have acted by resisting the effect of diabetes and tannins may have inhibited oxidation by acting as an antioxidant. These potent properties of scent leaf may have likely influenced the almost near to normal regenerative effects of testicular tissue observed in the group given combination of bitter leaf and scent leaf. Since the effect of the combination is more promising than in the single administration, we conclude that the use of both bitter leaf and scent leaf works in synergism to produce endowed potentials which can be exploited in the development of anti-diabetic drugs that can be used as supplements.”

Until now, bitter leaf is used for a wide range of ailments such as constipation, fever, purgative, worm remover and against urinary inflammation in local medicine.

Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine disease caused by deficiency in the secretion or action of insulin. The increasing number of ageing population, consumption of calorie-rich diet, obesity and sedentary life style has led to an alarming increase in the number of diabetics worldwide.

Diabetes has gradually found its root in Africa, especially in Nigeria where Westernized ways are imbibed; this disease has a significant effect on male reproductive function as the incidence of diabetes among men attending infertility clinics is on the increase, this suggested the use of the herbs on animal models for their efficacy. The risk factors for developing erectile dysfunction are neuropathy, blood vessel damage and poor blood sugar control.

Streptozotocin (STZ) was found to be selectively toxic to the beta cells of the pancreatic islet, and this suggested the drug’s use as an animal model of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Type I diabetes formerly known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile onset diabetes mellitus is characterized by severe or absolute lack of insulin caused by reduction in, or complete destruction of β-cell mass. The trigger of the β-cell mass reduction or destruction has not been elucidated. Despite the uncertainty in the etiology, three mechanisms have been speculated; genetic susceptibility, anti-immunity and environmental insults. These mechanisms have been found to act jointly and in a sequence leading to an eventual destruction of β-cells, then diabetes.

Meanwhile, Intercedd Health Products (IHP) is blazing the trail with the introduction of Vernonia Ocimum Tea into the Nigerian market. Vernonia Ocimum Tea is made from Vernonia amaygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum.

The indication on the product reads: “Vernonia amaygdalina is a shrub that grows in tropical Africa. It is commonly called bitter leaf because of its bitter taste. The bitterness is as a result of the presence of the sesquiterpenes lactones and steroid glycosides, which are responsible for the activity.

“Ocimum gratissimum, scent leaf, is rich in alkaloids, tannins; flavonoid, phytates and oligosaccharides which are responsible for its medicinal properties.
Vernonia Ocimum Tea has immense health benefits such as body weight management, easy bowel evacuation, cleansing of the body system and control of body sugar.”

Also, a Nigerian born Professor of Biology, Ernest Izevbigie has patented a formula made from bitter leaf.

This bitter leaf-based formula is a proven anti-diabetic and anti-cancer formula in laboratory and clinical trials. This formula product can also benefit HIV/AIDS patients. It has been patented: U.S. Patent 6,713,098 in 2004 and the second 6,848,604 in 2005.

Izevbigie said: “We found that in using the plant material (from Vernonia amygdalina), some compounds from the extracts were able to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Later through collaborative research, we found they were also effective in other tumor cells.”

Izevbigie explained that evidence from cell culture and animal studies research and reports from individuals reveal that bitter leaf formula supplement may abate or improve the health conditions or symptoms of HIV/AIDS patients including abrosia (wasting away), nausea and vomiting, compromised immune systems etc. Bitter leaf supplement-induced stimulation of the immune system offers hope to many suffering with AIDS related diseases.

The professor further explained that available data shows that bitter leaf extracts might be effective against herpes virus, and against Kaposi sarcomas (KS), a tumour caused by Human herpes virus 8 (HHV8).

Some of the principal chemical compounds found in the bitter leaf herb are known as steroid glycosides – type vernonioside B1. These compounds possess potent anti-parasitic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial effects.