Mansour_2002_Toxicology_170_221

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of Lupinus albus L Lupinus termis family L leguminosae Cymbopogon proximus Halfa barr family Gramineae and Zygophyllum coccineum L Kammun quaramany family L Zygophyllacae on biochemical parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic rats A dose of 1.5 ml of aqueous suspension of each herb/100 g body weight equivalent to 75 mg/100 g b.wt was orally administered daily to alloxan-diabetic rats for 4 weeks The levels of glucose urea creatinine and bilirubin were significantly P<0.05 increased in plasma of alloxan-diabetic rats compared with the control group In contrast total protein and albumin were significantly decreased by 25 and 46 respectively versus control Treatment of the diabetic rats with repeated doses of any one of the three herb suspensions could restore the changes of the above parameters to their normal levels after 4 weeks of treatment Aspartate aminotransferase AST alanine aminotransferase ALT lactate dehydrogenase LDH and alkaline phosphatase AlP activities were significantly P<0.05 increased in the plasma of alloxan-diabetic rats However acetylcholinesterase activity was significantly P<0.05 decreased in the plasma compared with the control group whereas such activity did not change in brain The activities of AST ALT and LDH were significantly P<0.05 decreased in the liver of alloxan-diabetic rats by 58 21 and 40 respectively and such activities increased in testes by 39 26 and 26 respectively compared with the control group Also brain LDH was significantly P<0.05 increased Treatment of the diabetic rats with the aqueous suspension of the tested herbs restored the activities of the above enzymes to their normal level in plasma liver and testes The present results showed that the herb suspensions exerted antihyperglycemic effects and consequently may alleviate liver and renal damage caused by alloxan-induced diabetes