RESUMO
diabetes mellitus and its related disorders are associated with significant burden on individuals and health care system. In Traditional Iranian Medicine [TIM] the consumption of barley products has been recommended for treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of oral barley seed aqueous extract on fasting serum glucose level and body weight of normal [non-diabetic] and Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Forty male wistar rats were randomly divided in to diabetic and non-diabetic group. Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg/kg Streptozotocin. After one week the diabetic group [fasting blood glucose more than 200 mg/dL] and non-diabetic group were randomly divided in to control group and barley seed extract group. Body weight and fasting serum glucose level were measured and compared among groups at 1[st], 3[rd] and 4[th] weeks of study. Significant reduction [p<0.05] of fasting serum glucose level was seen at 4[th] week of treatment with aqueous extract of barley seed in diabetic rats in comparison with diabetic control group. In non-diabetic group, significant reduction [p<0.05] of fasting serum glucose level was seen after one week treatment comparing to non-diabetic control group. No significant effect was detected on the body weight of diabetic and non-diabetic groups. The aqueous extract of barley seed significantly reduced serum glucose level after 4 weeks in diabetic and after 1 week in non-diabetic group. In non-diabetic rats this reduction was not continued after first week