ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate histological characters of livers in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats after receiving various doses of Annona squamosa L. aqueous leave extract. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (45 mg/kg). After that the diabetic rats were orally administered the vehicle, glibenclamide and leaves extract (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) for 12 days. Their liver tissues were collected for histological examination. The histological study of liver showed that control diabetic rats possessed many hepatocytes with shrunken nuclei, vacuolated granular cytoplasm, poorly defined cell boundaries and dilated sinusoids. The diabetic rats received the extract revealed some improvements of liver tissue in dose dependent manner in which hepatocytes possessed regular size of nuclei, well defined cell boundaries, reduced vacuoles and granulated characters as well as narrowed sinusoids when compared with those of control diabetic rats. This present data suggests that the aqueous leaves extract of Annona squamosa L. could improve the histological appearances of the livers of diabetic rats.
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the hypoglycemic effects and histological changes of pancreatic islets after receiving Morus alba leave extract in normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. All diabetic rats were divided into 5 groups, each of which was orally received one of the following; vehicle, glibenclamide and leave extract (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) for 12 days. The results showed that the leave extract at the doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg significantly (p \< 0.05) reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. Moreover, the study of Morus alba leave extract in decreasing of acute hyperglycemic effect was undertaken by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) which revealed that the leave extract could not reduce blood glucose levels in acute hyperglycemia in both diabetic and normal rats. The histological examination of pancreas showed that all doses of leave extract could recover the damaged islet cells in diabetic rats in a dose dependent manner. The pancreatic islets of diabetic rats receiving the extract were larger and the cells within the islets were rounder and less congestive when compared to diabetic control rats. Conclusion, the results of this study suggested that Morus alba leave extract could reduce blood glucose levels and improve the histological features of pancreatic islets in diabetic rats.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) has been widely used as an herbal medicine for lowering blood glucose levels. To date, there have been very few clinical studies to determine the efficacy of bitter melon in diabetes patients. This study was conducted to describe the use of bitter melon in diabetes patient by evaluating the hypoglycemic effect and adverse events at Dansai Crown Prince Hospital, Thailand.Methods: This retrospective study reviewed medical records and database of type 2 diabetes patients receiving bitter melon from January, 1999 to February, 2008. Fasting plasma glucose levels, laboratory data and adverse events were extracted from existing records.Results: Bitter melon 800-1,600 mg/day was added to the treatment regimens of 82 diabetic patients with mildly to moderately uncontrolled blood glucose levels (187.8+47.0 mg/dL). Adverse events were found in few cases. The most common adverse event was hypoglycemia. The blood glucose lowering effect of bitter melon was assessable in 42 patients. After adding bitter melon to the current regimens of the patients (sulfonylureas + metformin) for at least 14 days, fasting plasma glucose was reduced by 26.9+40.8 mg/dL (p\< 0.001). Atter the addition of bitter melon, 19 patients (45.2%) achieved target therapeutic range of FPG levels.Conclusion: The retrospective study for the 8 year usage of bitter melon at Dansai Crown Prince Hospital suggested that bitter melon may be a useful adjunctive treatment to decrease blood glucose levels in patients with mildly to moderately uncontrolled diabetes.Key words: Momordica charantia, bitter melon, hypoglycemic effect, diabetes mellitus