Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become one of the most challenging health problems of the 21st century. It is associated with a number of different metabolic abnormalities. The use of herbs as medicines has increased all over the world, to maintain the target glucose level and modulate the oxidative stress associated with DM which would be an alternative approach for managing DM complications. The present work was conducted to test the hypothesis that combined treatment with aqueous extract of Cassia angustifolia (EACA) and Feoniculum vulgar(EAFV) that is more effective than each of them alone in improving the severity of DM and oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats. Diabetes was induced in male albino rats by an intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body). Fifty male albino rats, weighing 150 +/- 200 g, were divided into five groups, namely control, diabetic and diabetic rats received either EACA (150 mg/kg/day), or EAFV (150mg/kg/day) and their combination by gastric intubation for 4 weeks. Diabetic rats exhibited many symptoms, including loss of body weight, hyperglycemia, decreases in serum insulin, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, elevated triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations and liver marker enzymes. Significant increase in TBARS,(lipid peroxidation marker) was observed in diabetic liver and pancreas. This was accompanied by a significant decrease in GSH content, SOD and CAT activity of the liver and pancreas. Daily oral ingestion of EACA and/or EAFV extract for 4weeks after diabetes induction ameliorated hyperglycemia, increased insulin, improved lipid profiles, restored body weight loss and liver function, blunted the increased in MDA, modulated the levels of hepatic and pancreatic SOD and CAT activities and GSH content. It could be suggested that each of EACA and/or EAFV could be used as an antidiabetic compliment in case of DM. This may be related to their antioxidative properties.