ABSTRACT
Abstract@#The birch leaves were used as a substitute for birch bark, buds and chaga of birch in traditional medicine because the birch leaves are considered to be less toxic. Numerous researches conducted in Russia, Bulgaria, Japan, and China on <i>B.pubescens, B. pendula, B.Rezniczenkoana (Litv) </i> Schischk, <i>B.humilis</i> Schrank, and <i>B.mandshurica</i> Rgl Nakai found that birch barks and leaves contain antioxidants and they have anti-cancer, anti-yeast, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, liver protective and bile secretion induction properties. The studies conducted on animals with diseases showed that the birch leaves had anti-inflammatory properties on the gastric mucosa during acute stress, as well as anti-biliary and giardiasis. The birch leaf phytopreparations experimentations used on animals showed reduced peripheral tissue insulin resistance and lowered blood sugar. Mongolian traditional medicinal journals noted that the birch barks are used to treat inflammatory acute diseases. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the effects of two species of birch leaves on blood sugar and antioxidant activities in diabetes-induced rats.@*The study materials and methods@#The study was conducted in the Pharmacology Research Laboratory of the Monos Group’s Institute of Pharmacology. 40 WISTAR, non-linear white rats weighing 150-204 g were used in the experiments. Dry extract of birch leaves of the two species (Alloxan monohydrate Tokyo Chemical Industry LTD), IGM-100 3A blood glucose meter (Blood glucose test meter, Infopia LTD, Brussels Belgium) and sugar test (Blood glucose test strip only, province, China) were used for the experiment. Lenzen’s (2008) method was used to induce Alloxan diabetes in the rats and the antioxidant properties were determined by the antioxidant activity kit (Rat Malondialchehyche Elisa KIT, cat. № EKRAT- 0266, Jilin).@*Study Result@#The blood glucose level of the control group with diabetes lowered from 31.5 mmol/l to 17.1 mmol/l in 14 days. As for the <i>B.platyphylla</i> Sukacz group, the blood glucose level reduced to 6.3 mmol/l and the <i>B.hippolytii. </i> Sukacz group’s blood glucose level reduced to 6.9 mmol/l in 14 days.</br> The study results showed that <i>B.hippolytii </i>Sukacz birch leaves and <i>B.platyphilla</i> Sukacz birch leaves’ extracts reduced the maximum level of MDA dilution (4.8 nmol/ml) of B.hippolytii Sukacz and B.platyphilla Sukacz groups by 33.9% and 53.5% respectively. This suggests that the birch leaves had antioxidant effect.@*Conclusion@#<i>B.hippolytii </i>Sukacz birch leaves and <i>B. platyphilla </i> (Sukacz) birch leaves lowered the blood glucose level and had antioxidant properties on diabetes.