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Purpose: To explore the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effects of Fructus Hordei Germinatus extract (FHGE) in diabetic rats. Methods: The aqueous extract of FHG was obtained by steeping the dried Fructus Hordei Germinatus in water at 60 oC three times, each for 1 h before first drying in an oven and then freeze-drying the last extract thus obtained. Antihyperglycemic effect was measured by blood glucose and plasma insulin levels. Oxidative stress was evaluated in liver and kidney by antioxidant markers, viz, lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT), while blood serum levels of creatinine and urea were also determined in both diabetic control and treated rats. Results: Compared with diabetic rats, oral administration of FHGE at a concentration of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg daily for 45 days showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose (p < 0.05) and increased insulin (p < 0.05) level,. Furthermore, it significantly reduced biochemical parameters (serum creatinine and serum urea, p < 0.05)). The treatment also resulted in significant increase in GSH, GPx (p < 0.05), SOD and CAT (p < 0.05), as well as decreased LPO (p < 0.05) level in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats. Conclusion: The results suggest that FHGE may effectively normalize the impaired antioxidant status in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in a dose-dependent manner. FHGE has a protective effect against lipid peroxidation by scavenging free radicals and is thus capable of reducing the risk of diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]