ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine immunological and metabolic effects of different concentrations of ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NA) induced diabetic rats. Methods: Forty-eight fasted male Sprague-Dawley rats were induced diabetes using a single intraperitoneal injection of NA(110 mg/kg b.w.) and STZ (65 mg/kg b.w, 15 min after NA). Diabetic rats orally received either different concentrations (250, 500 and 750 mg/kg body weight) of ginger rhizome suspension or glibenclamide (10 mg/kg body weight) for 6 weeks. Two control diabetic and normal groups were gavaged with only distilled water as a vehicle. Results: The results indicated that the lower concentrations of ginger modulated body weight, fasting blood glucose, level of triglyceride and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) (p0.05). Conclusion: Ginger indicated better impact on metabolic and immunologic parameters in lower doses of supplementation compared with high doses of treatment.