Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. This disease occurs when the body becomes unable to effectively use the insulin it produces to regulate blood glucose levels. Many plants are explored for their therapeutic properties.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Picralima nitida against type 2 diabetes in order to validate its antihyperglycemic and antistress efficacy.

Picralima nitida fruit powder fractions were prepared using the Controlled Differential Pulverization and Sieving (CDS) process. The various powder fractions (≤ 50 µm; ≤ 120 µm), as well as the unsieved powder, were administered by gavage to rats on a diabetogenic diet.

The results show that the unsieved powder fraction significantly (P ˂ 0.05) reduced the fasting blood glucose level of rats (80.55 ± 6.55 mg/dL) 30 minutes before administration to (56.70 ± 5.75 mg/dL) 1 hour after administration compared to the blood glucose level of the normal control group (86.25 ± 2.25 mg/dL) 30 minutes before administration to (85.00 ± 6.25 mg/dL) 1 hour after. On the lipid profile, the fraction ≤ 50 µm significantly (P ˂ 0.05) reduced the total cholesterol (117.87 ± 14.21 mg/dL) and triglyceride (71.60 ± 6.89 mg/dL) level compared to 224.70 ± 80.00 mg/dL and 146.00 ± 3.90 mg/dL respectively for total cholesterol and triglycerides in the negative control group. On oxidative stress, the fraction ≤ 50 µm significantly decreased (P ˂ 0.001) the level of hepatic MDA (117.85 ± 5.99 µmol /g) compared to 183.69 ± 7.23 µmol/g in the negative control group.

This study attests to the antihyperglycemic effects of Picralima nitida powders and confirms the use of these fruits in traditional medicine to remedy diabetes.