EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF BERBERIS INTEGERRIMA ROOT ON CHANGES IN BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN, AND MORPHOLOGY OF PANCREAS IN STEREPTOZOTOCIN (STZ) INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Antioxidant agents are beneficial on diabetes mellitus. Berberis Integerrima
root extract has been proved to possess antioxidant activity. This study was conducted to investigate
the effect of the aqueous extract of Berberis Integerrima root on carbohydrate metabolism and
morphology of pancreas in STZ induced diabetic rats.
Materials & Methods: Forty male rats were divided into 5 groups of 8 as follows: 1- Group normal
(N). 2- Group Normal+barberry (N+B), 3- Diabetic (D) 4- Group diabetic+barberry (D+B) and 5-
diabetic+glibenclamide. The experimental groups received Barberry root extract (500 mg/kg bw) or
glibenclamide (0.6 mg/kgbw) by gavage for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, rats sacrificed by
decapitation and fasting blood samples were collected from cervical vein and serum levels of glucose
and insulin were measured with commercial kits by spectrophotometery and elisa, respectively. The
pancreas of rats were removed and fixed and after tissue processing stained with H&E for light
microscopic investigations.
Results: The results showed that berberis integerrima root extract (500 mg/kg/w) caused a significant
decrease (p<0.01) in glucose serum level and significant increase (p<0.01) in insulin levels were
compared to the diabetic group. Also Berberis Integerrima root extract caused a significant increase
(p<0.05) in islets average diameters and numbers of islets.
Conclusions: Berberis integerrima root extract has hypoglycemic effect by increasing insulin secretion
and improvement of the pancreas