Background:Balanites aegypticea is used medically for many purposes e.g. anti-spasmodic, stomach pain, malaria, and yellow fever. The extract of the fruit is also used to reduce the blood glucose levels.Objectives:The objective of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic effects of the aqueous extract of the fruits of the Balanites aegypticea in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.Materials and Methods:Twenty-five adult male Vistar rats were used in this study. The rats were randomly collected and divided into 5 groups (5 rats in each group). The untreated rats (negative control group) received basal diet and tap water only for 15 days. The experimental rats became diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan (150 mg/kg body weight). The fruit of Balanites aegypticea was powdered, extracted, and dried using organic solvents. The diabetic rats received aqueous extract 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg, respectively, for 2 weeks. Plasma glucose levels were measured by using Glucose GOD-PAP method through spectrophotometer.Results:The results showed that 800 mg/kg aqueous extract decrease significantly the plasma glucose level (P ≤ 0.05) in diabetic rats, and there is a considerable gain in body weight (P ≤ 0.05) compared to the diabetic control group. Four-hundred mg/kg aqueous extract has a mild effect on body weights and plasma glucose levels, while 200 mg/kg aqueous extract has no significant effect on plasma glucose level and a little effect on body weight.Conclusions:The results of the presented study revealed that the aqueous extract of Balanites aegypticea has hypoglycemic properties. It can decrease the plasma glucose level and can improve weight in diabetic experimental animals.

The objective of this study was designed to investigate, evaluate the effect of vitamin E on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by showing significant changes in blood glucose, water, food intake, lipid profile, serum urea and ceratinine level, and antioxidant enzyme parameters activity. Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced toxicity was studied in male Waster rats; each divided into four groups: G1, GII, GIII, and GIV. Control rats GI, rats treated with vitamin E (GII), STZ-induced diabetic rats (GIII), and STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with vitamin E (G1V). Moreover, vitamin E reduced (p < 0.05) blood glucose and urea, thus, our study improved the lipid profile (reduced the serum levels of amount of total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, cholesterol and triacyglycerols, and increased HDL cholesterol) and increased total amount protein in STZ-induced diabetic rats (GIV). Vitamin prevented modification in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSX-Px) and in the concentration of the lipid hydroperoxide. Finally the study suggested that vitamin E improved hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia while inhibiting the progression of oxidative stress in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

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The treatment of type 1 diabetes is mainly dependent on insulin therapy and current formulated insulin formulations are used for its control all over the world. The presented study was designed to evaluate the potency of extracted, purified and formulated insulin from the pancreatic organs of the Sudanese beef cattle. Twenty healthy rabbits were used to conduct the study following subcutaneous administration of the sample insulin, to determine the hypoglycemic effect and to analyze the potency of the testing insulin by the hypoglycemic seizure method, blood sugar method and glucose enzymatic colorimetric test (GOD-PAP) respectively. The potency of the injected insulin samples was estimated by comparing the variation in blood glucose levels produced in the treated animals with that produced by a standard insulin preparation under the suitable conditions of the blood sugar method. The results revealed that the potency of the testing beef insulin samples was slightly higher (i.e., 2.2 USP units/ml, 9%) compared to the standard and assumed potency of the prepared insulin preparations (i.e., 1-2 USP units/ml) which indicated that the solvents and diluents used to prepare the assay dilution might be of higher potency and must be diluted to such an extent that the testing insulin potency must be compatible with the standard dilutions. Furthermore, to determine the choice of an assay to analyze the potency of insulin preparations, not only the accuracy of the result but also the purpose for which the test is to be used and the time limit must be taken into consideration.