ISSN-2319-2119 RESEARCH ARTICLE F. A. Coulibaly et al, The Experiment, 2014, Vol.24 (3)1673-1682 1673 www.experimentjournal.com EVALUATION OF THE ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY OF THE EXTRACTS OF VITELLARIA PARADOXA IN ORYCTOLAGUSCUNICULUS RABBIT (LAGOMORPH) ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is a state of chronic hyperglycemia whose global prevalence is constantly increasing, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire. Currently available drugs encountered more difficulties due to its adverse effect. In other to find lasting solution to this problem, an experimental study was undertaken with the extracts of Vitellaria paradoxa plant to evaluate its antidiabetic activity. Extraction method of bark of plant has enabled us prepare 250 mg/kg/body weight (bw) for both the crude aqueous extract (ETA) and the hydro-ethanolic extract (EHE). For hypoglycemic activity , oral injection of extract into each lots of normoglycemic rabbits (15 in number) was used to select the most active extract, which was selected to evaluate the antihyperglycemic activity of extract with doses of 80, 400 and 800 mg/kg/bw given orally to rabbits in state of temporary hyperglycemia. The results obtained from these two plant extracts in normoglycemic rabbits showed hypoglycemic effect of ETA and EHA of - 3.57 % and - 15.91 % respectively after 2 hours of treatment. EHE being more active also showed a more antihyperglycemic activity from T 30 to T 90 . This activity increases with increasing doses, with a concentration of 800 mg/kg/bw, blood glucose level decreased from 60.87 % to 3.26 % to be stabilized to normal blood sugar level. In conclusion of these two extracts, hydro- ethanolic extract is the most active. This extract has a double activity hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic. Keywords Antihyperglycemic activity, Diabetes, Normoglycemic, Vitellaria paradoxa 1. INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus is an ubiquitous endocrine disease which is characterized by alteration of the homeostasis of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Its unbridled growth affects approximately 5 % of the world population 1 ; nearly 3.4 million people die from the consequences of this disease 2 . According to WHO projections, the number of deaths will increase and will double by 2030. This will make the disease the seventh leading cause of death worldwide 3 . Moreover, in developing countries nearly 80 % of deaths was recorded 4 . In Côte d' Ivoire, for example, the prevalence of diabetes indicates a rate of 5.7 %, of which 90 % are non-insulin dependent diabetes 5 and the causing factors are the consumption of calorie – rich diet, obesity, physical inactivity and the aging of the population 6 . Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus is the cause of many late complications characterized by kidney disease, blindness and the risk of cardiovascular disease 7 . Also available drugs often encounter difficulties in their treatment because of side effects. However, herbal treatment is an alternative in the treatment of this pathophysiology in as much as plants are used to cure diabetes 8 . It is in line with this idea that Pharmacodynamic Biochemical Laboratory conducted study on the plant species Vitellaria paradoxa traditionally used in northern Côte d'Ivoire for the treatment of diabetes. Ethnobotanical studies have shown that the leaves of this species are used in the traditional medicine for the treatment of Burili ulcer 9 and its bark in the treatment of malaria, dental pain and neuralgia treatment 10 . In addition, scientific studies have shown antibacterial activity of the extracts of Vitellaria paradoxa 11 and data on the toxicity of this species show a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and a lethal dose 50 (LD 50 ) to be 800 mg/mL and 820 mg/mL respectively 12, 13 .