ABSTRACT
Diabetes (DM) is one of the top five causes of death worldwide. Controlling glucose level is vital for protectingthe complications and improving the diabetics’ health. Olive (Olea europaea L.) leave extract (OLE) containsbiologically active antioxidant phenolic compounds. This research was carried out to evaluate the effect of OLEon oxidative status and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in DM rats. Male Wister rats (n=40, 200 ± 20g) were divided into Group (1); Control rats and Groups (2-5); DM rats were intraperitoneal(i.p.) injected withSTZ (65 mg/kg), only DM rats (fasting blood glucose >250 mg/dl) were randomly classified into DM , DM+metformin (MT) (600 mg/kg) as reference drug, DM+OLE (200 mg/kg), and DM+OLE (400 mg/kg) groups. Atthe end of the experiment (6 weeks), blood and kidney samples were collected for biochemical andhistopathological studies. Serum glucose, renal functions (creatinine (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)),electrolyte ions (sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+)), as well as renal oxidative statusbiomarkers (nitric oxide(NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and AGEs) were determined. The results revealedthat there were significant increases in glucose, Cr, BUN, and K+ with a significant decrease in Na+ levels, aswell as significant decrease in renal oxidative stress and elevated AGEs levels compared to the control rats.Although MT treatment was more effective than OLE (400 mg/kg) in reducing glucose level, while OLEtreatment was more effective than MT in reducing oxidative stress and AGEs levels. Oral administration of OLE(400 mg/kg) showed significant hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects as well as improved renal functions andinhibited AGEs levels compared to the DM rats. Also overcome most of the renal histopathological changesinduced by DM. Therefore, co-administration of MT and OLE is recommended in preventing DM complications