ANTI-DIABETIC EFFECT OF ARTEMISIA ANNUA (KAYSOM) IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS.

Background and Objective: Diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. Nowadays, herbal drugs are gaining popularity in the treatment of diabetes and its complications. The current study was aimed at evaluating the significance of supplementation of Artemisia annua (Kaysom) extract in reducing the metabolic abnormalities accompanied with alloxaninduced diabetes in male albino rats. Material and Methods: Thirty male albino rats were divided equally into three groups including control, diabetic and diabetic treated with Kaysom extract . A single dose of alloxan(120 mg/kg body weight) was used to induce diabetes in rats. Diabetic rats were administered Kaysom extract orally twice daily for 30 days. At the end of the experimental period, level of serum fasting insulin and glucose in addition to serum lipids profile such as total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), and very low density lipoproteins(VLDL); serum proteins including total proteins, albumin and globulin; renal markers (creatinine, urea and uric acid) and activity of certain enzymes such as aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) and gammaglutamyltransferase (GGT) was determined for all groups. In. addition, estimation of % change of body weight, values of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and ratios of albumin:globulin (A:G), TC/HDL, LDL/HDL (risk ratios 1 and2) were calculated for each group. Results: Diabetic rats showed a marked decline (p<0.01) in the level of; serum insulin, body weight (4.98 %),total proteins, albumin, globulin and HDL accompanied with marked elevation (p<0.01) in level of; fasting blood glucose, HOMA_IR, ASAT, ALAT ,GGT, urea, creatinine, uric acid, serum TC, TG, LDL, VLDL and ratios of TC/HDL and LDL/HDL (risk factors) as compared to the corresponding of controls. Supplementation of diabetic rats with Kaysom extract significantly ameliorated most of the estimated biochemical parameters. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that Kaysom extract may be of advantage in inhibiting hyperglycemia and ameliorating metabolic abnormalities induced by diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]