LAUSR

Abstract Obesity and diabetes contribute largely to increased morbidity and mortality globally. However, the treatment of obesity is not well established, hence plant materials are being considered for the development of new anti-diabesity therapies. Aloe ferox has been used for different medicinal purposes, but the research on its anti-diabesity activity is limited. This study therefore aimed to investigate the anti-diabesity potential of Aloe ferox leaf powder. Sprague Dawley rats assigned into 2 groups consisting of 8 animals each were fed with either a high fat diet (HFD; control), or a high fat diet containing Aloe ferox leaf powder (HFD-AL; treatment) over a period of 12 weeks. The animals were weighed weekly and their food consumption was monitored three times a week. Blood samples were collected after 12 weeks and analysed for liver function, fructosamine level, cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Furthermore, the aqueous and 50% dichloromethane-methanol extracts of A. ferox leaf powder were also analysed for their α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition potential. Phytochemical analysis was done using Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS) to identify active compounds. Body weight gain was lower in animals on HFD-AL than HFD only. Fructosamine level was significantly lower in HFD-AL than HFD animals at p