[Microscopical and chemical study of Al Qaesoum [Achillea falcata[L]]]

Medicinal plants are considered as a major source of the therapy to obtain new components which have activities in curing and protecting from various diseases. al Qaesoum [Achillea falcate from the family Asteraceae] is one of those plants which spread widely in Syria, and used in the folk medicine as a reducing agent of the blood sugar, so that our study aimed to investigate the microscopial fragments of the powdered flowers to distinguish it from other species which belong to the same genus, and to determine the major and the active ingredients which may form the reason behind this use. Our plant was gathered from Soga [in the countryside of Damascus]; microscopical study and chemical investigation were done. The flowers [the used part] contain sugars in addition to fatty acids, and a high percentage of some metals in addition to alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids [such as quercetin] and tannins

[Comparison of the toxic effects related to experimental induction of diabetes by Alloxam and Strepytozotocin in rats]

Both Alloxan and Streptozotocin [STZ] are selective substances used to induce experimental diabetes, because they have an important property to damage beta-cells that secrete insulin in Pancreas. But their use has some problems; they have toxic effects on important body organs and also cause some necrosis in tissue. The aim of this study was to clarify the best way of administration, so we examine the acute way which includes giving a single high dose of both the previous materials. Indeed, we also examine a gradual way that includes giving the substances in repeated low doses with intervals last for several days. We measured the changes of weight, the elevation in blood sugar and the mortality for both previous ways. Indeed, a histological study was performed for important body's organ following the administration of the mentioned materials in the gradual way. The findings indicated clearly that the gradual way for both Alloxan and STZ was more safe and effective than acute administration. STZ was best from Alloxan especially in the gradual way concerning the inducing of diabetes and the low mortality. According to these results we recommend to use STZ with the gradual way in the researches that require experimental diabetic animals