_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: ohunene8034@gmail.com; Asian Journal of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 1(4): 1-6, 2018; Article no.AJBGMB.46342 Evaluation of the Cardioprotective Effect of Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) Seeds in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Albino Rats C. O. L. Karikpo 1* , E. S. Bartimaeus 1 and B. Holy 1 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, P.M.B. 5080, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author COLK designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors ESB and BH managed the analyses of the study. Author COLK managed the literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/AJBGMB/2018/v1i430046 Editor(s): (1) Dr. Gul Ozcan, Professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Istanbul, Turkey. Reviewers: (1) Md. Shah Amran, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. (2) P. G. Jkroop, JC Dav College, Dasuya (Dist. Hoshiarpur), Punjab, India. (3) Mahendran Sekar, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Royal College of Medicine Perak, Malaysia. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle3.com/review-history/46342 Received 21 October 2018 Accepted 19 February 2019 Published 06 March 2019 ABSTRACT The study examined the cardioprotective potential of the ethanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus in streptozotocin induced diabetic albino rats. A total of sixty albino rats weighing approximately ± 200 g were used. The induction of diabetes in the rats was done using 50 mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin and confirmed by checking glucose levels using a glucometer. Albino rats with glucose levels greater than ≥ 250 mg/dl were considered diabetic. The rats were divided into 5 groups of 12 animals each and allowed access to food and water ad libitum. The animals had a 12 hour overnight fast after which diabetes was induced by injecting them intraperitoneally with streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). The control (group A) was not induced while diabetic control was induced. Induced diabetic rats in groups C, D and E were later treated with C. lantus at a dose of 100 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg body weight respectively for 14 and 28 days respectively. After Original Research Article