Effect of Premna serratifolia Leaf Ethanol Extract on Pancreatic Histopathology in Hypercholesterolemic Diabetic Rats

Abstract

This study evaluated the protective effect of Premna serratifolia leaf ethanol extract on pancreatic histopathology in hypercholesterolemic diabetic rats. Thirty male rats (n = 5/group) were assigned to normal, negative, and positive (metformin) controls and extract-treated groups (200, 300, and 400 mg/kg BW). Phytochemical screening detected alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and tannins in the extract. Pancreatic damage scores differed significantly among groups (Kruskal–Wallis H(5) = 20.13, p = 0.001, ε² = 0.63). After correcting for multiple comparisons, damage scores at 300 and 400 mg/kg were significantly lower than the negative control, while 200 mg/kg was not. No extract dose differed significantly from the positive control or from each other, so a clear dose-response pattern was not established; 300 mg/kg gave the numerically lowest mean damage score. These findings indicate that P. serratifolia leaf ethanol extract has a protective, though only partly dose-related, effect against pancreatic damage in hypercholesterolemic diabetic rats.