[Water extract of juglans regia L. and diabetes mellitus in Iranian traditional medicine]

ABSTRACT

There are many reports about the glucose lowering effects of medicinal plants in animal models. There are a some reports in Iranian traditional medicine about glucose lowering effect of septum water extract of Juglans Regia L. In the present study, effect of aqueous extract of the septum of Juglans Regia L. on plasma glucose is assessed. After preparing the water extract of Juglans Regia L. and concentrating of it the lyophilized extract, was tested in diabetic [ip injection of streptozocin] and normal rats. Comparison between groups was made by analysis of variance [ANOVA] and the differences between the means assessed using student's t test. In an oral glucose tolerance test [OGGT], a single oral administration of the water extract at doses of 50, 250 and 750 mg/kg body weight didn't lowered the plasma glucose level in the normal rats. Although that insulin administration [5IU/kg] caused a reduction of serum glucose[P<0.001], none of the extract doses [1000, 750, 500, 250mg/Kg] could cause a significant reduction in such level [P>0.005]. These results demonstrated that the water extract of the septum of Juglans regia's fruit didn't have a significant hypoglycemic effect in rats