Abstract

EFFECT OF PEGANUM HARMALA AQUEOUS EXTRACT ON EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED DIABETES MELLITUS IN RABBITS

Tahani Y. Omar*

Abstract

Objective: To investigate antidiabetic analysis of Peganum harmala seeds aqueous extract in streptozotocine induced diabetic rabbits by administering oral doses (5 mg/kg body weight). Methods: Experimental diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 45 mg/kg body weight per day for 3 days. Adult male rabbits were divided into four groups; normal control, diabetic control, diabetic+ Peganum harmala supplement (5mg /kg b.wt.), and normal+ Peganum harmala supplement (5mg /kg b.wt.) for 14 days. Serum glucose, insulin, triglycerids, cholesterol, urea, creatinine, activities of serum marker enzymes of liver function(AST and ALT) were measured. The oxidative stress was assessed by glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) in plasma. Results: The increase in serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, AST and ALT, decreased insulin, plasma GST, CAT, were the salient features recorded in diabetic control rabbits. The Peganum harmala supplements significantly reverted the levels of the studied metabolites and enzymes activities to near normal control values. Conclusions: the current study suggest that aqueous extract of Peganum harmala seeds powder oral doses (5 mg/kg body weight) supplementation may be beneficial for preventing diabetic complications in this animal model.

Keywords: Peganum harmala, Serum glucose, insulin, triglycerids, cholesterol, urea.