EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF WATER CRESS ON GLUCOSE AND LIPID PLASMA IN STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

Background: For treating diabetic patients, different nutrients are being used in some areas of Kerman province, Nasturtium officinale (NF) is one of them. In current research work, effects of NF on plasma lipid and glucose levels have been assessed in diabetic rats. Methods: In this study, 60 male rats were used. All rats randomly divided into six groups, consisting of one intact non-diabetic group, and remaining 5 groups were injected subcutaneously of 55 mg/Kg of streptozotocin to make them experimentally diabetic. Three groups of diabetic animals were eaten orally (via gavage) of low  (25 mg/Kg), and high  (75 mg/Kg) doses of aqueous extract of NF in a volume of 1.5 ml for short period (4 weeks)and long period (8-weeks) respectively.  One group of diabetic animals was given 2–4 U of NPH insulin intraperitoneally (IP).The last remaining group of five diabetics was given nothing at the end of each experiment. In all groups, blood glucose and lipid levels were measured. Results: There was significant reduction of plasma glucose in treatment groups compared to diabetic group. The greatest decrease (96%) was observed by the high dose (long term group for NF extract) that was significantly greater than the insulin group (49%) (p<0.001). There wasn’t any change in diabetic animals’ total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of plasma. Both low and high doses of extracts increased LDL-cholesterol levels in diabetic animals (p<0.001). In diabetic animals, plasma HDL-cholesterol levels (33±2.2) decreased by long term dose of extract. Conclusion: Both doses decreased plasma glucose in diabetic animals, whereas they have no effect on plasma lipids or have negative effect. Therefore it is suggested that NF extract is useful for control of blood glucose.