Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study

David Credo; Francis Machumi; Pax Jessey Masimba; Amos Rodger Mwakigonja

doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Original Article
Online Published: 24 Jul 2026

J Pharmacol Pharm Res. 2026; 3(3): 54-61

doi: 10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study

David Credo, Francis Machumi, Pax Jessey Masimba, Amos Rodger Mwakigonja.

Abstract
Background: Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana are traditionally used in northern Tanzania for diabetes management. Previous studies demonstrated individual hypoglycemic effects, with M. oleifera showing the strongest activity. This study aimed to develop and evaluate hypoglycemic activity of an optimized polyherbal formulation of the three plants.
Methods: Based on prior percentage glucose-lowering activity, extracts of A. afra, P. americana, and M. oleifera were combined in a 2:3:5 ratio, respectively. The formulation was evaluated using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) in glucose-loaded normal white albino mice. Animals received doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg of the formulation. Blood glucose was measured at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours post-glucose administration. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM (n=6). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test in IBM SPSS Statistics version 20, at p<0.05.
Results: The polyherbal formulation produced a dose-dependent reduction in blood glucose levels. The highest dose (200 mg/kg) exhibited the most pronounced effect, with significant reductions at all time points and a maximum decrease of 79% at 4 hours, which surpassed those observed at 50 and 100 mg/kg and was comparable to chlorpropamide. Notably, the 200 mg/kg formulation showed greater activity than individual extracts of M. oleifera (23%), P. americana (15%), and A. afra (10%). The enhanced hypoglycemic effect suggests possible synergistic interactions among phytochemical constituents.
Conclusion: The optimized polyherbal formulation demonstrated potent, dose-dependent hypoglycemic activity, comparable to chlorpropamide and superior to individual extracts, supporting its potential for further development as an antidiabetic therapy.

Key words: Diabetes, Antidiabetic potential, Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), Ethnomedicine, Medicinal plants, Phytotherapy

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How to Cite this Article

Pubmed Style

Credo D, Machumi F, Masimba PJ, Mwakigonja AR. Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. J Pharmacol Pharm Res. 2026; 3(3): 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Web Style

Credo D, Machumi F, Masimba PJ, Mwakigonja AR. Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. https://www.wisdomgale.com/jppr/?mno=317377 [Access: July 30, 2026]. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Credo D, Machumi F, Masimba PJ, Mwakigonja AR. Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. J Pharmacol Pharm Res. 2026; 3(3): 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Credo D, Machumi F, Masimba PJ, Mwakigonja AR. Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. J Pharmacol Pharm Res. (2026), [cited July 30, 2026]; 3(3): 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Harvard Style

Credo, D., Machumi, . F., Masimba, . P. J. & Mwakigonja, . A. R. (2026) Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. J Pharmacol Pharm Res, 3 (3), 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Turabian Style

Credo, David, Francis Machumi, Pax Jessey Masimba, and Amos Rodger Mwakigonja. 2026. Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. Journal of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Research, 3 (3), 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

Chicago Style

Credo, David, Francis Machumi, Pax Jessey Masimba, and Amos Rodger Mwakigonja. "Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study." Journal of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Research 3 (2026), 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Credo, David, Francis Machumi, Pax Jessey Masimba, and Amos Rodger Mwakigonja. "Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study." Journal of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Research 3.3 (2026), 54-61. Print. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Credo, D., Machumi, . F., Masimba, . P. J. & Mwakigonja, . A. R. (2026) Development and Evaluation of Hypoglycemic Activity of a Poly-herbal Formulation from Artemisia afra, Moringa oleifera, and Persea americana: A Follow-up Study. Journal of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Research, 3 (3), 54-61. doi:10.5455/JPPR.20260414080040