NANO-ENCAPSULATION OF Gongronema latifolium (UTAZI) LEAF EXTRACT USING PLURONIC F-127 FOR TREATMENT OF DIABETES

Abstract

Diabetes is a debilitating disease placing a huge burden on the body as a result of its inability to break down glucose. In this study, Gongrenema latifolium (Utazi) leaf were air-dried, macerated with ethanol, and encapsulated with pluronic F-127. Standard analytical methods were used for the quantitative phytochemical analysis, Uv-Visible spectrophotometry was used to determine the time-release profile of the encapsulated G. latifolium leaf extract and metformin (a standard-anti-diabetic drug) at 295 nm. FTIR, SEM, TEM, BET and EDX analysis were conducted on the encapsulated particles to establish its surface area, morphology and elemental composition. The results of the phytochemical analysis indicated that tannin (22.001% ± 4.712), was contained highest in the plant leaf, followed by flavonoids (13.011% ± 0.611), cardiac glycoside (11.912% ± 0.911), and the least was oxalate (0.194mg/100 ± 0.202). The time-release profile at 0.5h, 1h, 2h, 3h and 4h released (0%, 4.80%, 18.50%, 30.60% and 40.30% respectively of the encapsulated G. latifolium leaf extract), and 0%, 7.20%, 18.40%, 30.60% and 40.30% respectively of the metformin, into the body at equal rates and quantities. FTIR results showed CC or CN bond stretching, 1647.77 cm^-1 of C=O stretching, 1540.06cm^-1 of N-H bending and C-N stretching vibrations for amides in alkaloids, and 875.13cm^-1 of C-H out of plane bending. The presence of these peaks confirmed the successful encapsulation of the G. Latifolium leaf extract components by the pluronic F-127 without altering the chemical compositions. The FTIR spectra for the metformin showed peaks for alcohol (OH stretch at 3666.99cm^-1), amines and amides (NH symmetric stretch at 3126.00cm^-1), sulfonamide (SO₂ symmetric stretch at 1189.54cm^-1), sulfoxide (S=O stretch at 1057.41cm^-1), aldehydes (CHO bending at 2738.18cm^-1. The SEM and TEM results gave a monograph of a good interconnectivity of the G. latifolium leaf extract and pluronic F-127 as a result of good granular porosity with mesoporous pore sizes of 2.00 nm  5.80 nm with an average of 15.6 nm particles size clustered with fainted thin layers of neighboring materials. BET results indicated 821.431 m²/g surface area, 0.65400 cc/g pore volume and 27.4210 nm pore diameter. EDX results gave C, (52.16%, 5.90%), Na, (3.01%, 0.29%), K, (0.26%, 0.35%), Ca, (4.00%, 2.40%), and Si, (1.00%, 47.90%) respectively for encapsulated G. latifolium leaf extract and metformin. Fe, (21.09%) and N, (0.70%) were seen in the encapsulated G. latifolium leaf extract while Ba, (7.90%), P, (1.10%) and Al, (11.70%) respectively were seen in the metformin. The significance of the results is that pluronic F-127 encapsulated G. latifolium leaf extract has good surface activity, effects, adsorption capacity and surface area for drug adsorption and delivers anti-diabetic component at same rate with the conventional drug.