Abstract
In most of Arabian courtiers Rhazya stricta is extensively utilized in public medicine for several diseases treatment. In this study, crude alkaloid extract of R. stricta (CAERS) coated with silver nanoparticles (CAERS-AgNPs) as potential treatment against diabetes in DM animal model was evaluated. Swiss albino male rats (n = 80) were injected with STZ to induce Diabetes Mellitus type-2 (DM). DM-rats were injected different doses of CAERS or CAERS-nanoparticles (CAERS-NPs) for 2 months. The results exhibited that mRNA expression of insulin and insulin receptor was down-regulated, activity levels of antioxidant enzymes were decreased, generation of ROS mediated DNA adducts and apoptosis in DM-rats was increased significantly than those in negative control rats. In contrast, the expression of insulin and insulin receptor genes was up-regulated, activity levels of antioxidant enzymes, ROS generation, DNA adducts and apoptosis incidence in DM-rats supplemented with high dose of CAERS and all doses of CAERS-NPs were improved. In conclusion: R. stricta nanoparticles improved the anti-diabetic effect of the plant much more than the powder form of the extract. This action could be attributed to modification of the chemical and physical properties of the plant materials. The properties modification might be improved the ability of plant compounds to penetrate the cell membrane which facilitating release of plant materials into the target cells.