Previous studies have shown that some plants in the genus of Ferula (Apiaceae) have antidiabetic effects. The present work was aimed to evaluate effects of Ferula gummosa oleo-resin in a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Male Wistar rats were randomized into five groups (n = 6): normal control, diabetic control, diabetic rats treated with insulin (3 IU/day), and diabetic rats treated with 100 or 400 mg/kg/day of an ethanolic extract of the oleo-resin. After 4 weeks, blood samples were collected for measuring fasting blood glucose (FBG), lipid profile, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine. In addition, levels of lipid peroxidation, thiol groups, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were evaluated in the liver and kidney. At the end of the fourth week, the level of FBG in rats treated with 100 mg/kg of the extract was lower than that in diabetic control rats (273 ± 39 mg/dL vs 471 ± 32 mg/dL). Administration of insulin and the extract had no significant effects on the serum lipids. Insulin and both doses of the extract significantly reduced the activity of ALT. In addition, the extract inhibited lipid peroxidation in the kidney and restored the elevated level of SOD in the liver and kidneys. Ferula gummosa oleo-resin has the potential to prevent or delay the complications of diabetes by inhibiting the progression of hyperglycemia and attenuating oxidative stress-induced damage in the liver and kidneys.
The aim of the present work was to evaluate the possible beneficial effects of F. latisecta on blood glucose, lipids, and diabetes-related changes in the liver and kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 6): normal control rats, diabetic control rats, diabetic rats treated for 4 weeks with F. latisecta root (400 mg/kg/day), and diabetic rats treated with F. latisecta aerial parts (400 mg/kg/day). Results: Induction of diabetes significantly (p < 0.05) increased the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Diabetes also increased (p < 0.05) oxidative stress in the kidney and liver (decrease of thiol and increase of superoxide dismutase). The root and aerial parts of F. latisecta significantly reduced the level of LDL (p < 0.05) and restored the content of thiol (p < 0.05) and superoxide dismutase (p < 0.01) in the kidney and liver. F. latisecta had no significant effect on the levels of FBG, BUN, AST, and ALT. The root of F. latisecta also reduced the serum level of total cholesterol (p < 0.05) and prevented the progression of hyperglycemia. Conclusion: These findings suggest that F. latisecta may improve diabetic dyslipidemia by reducing serum LDL. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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