title: An extract from date seeds having a hypoglycemic effect. Is it safe to use?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety of date seed extract administration, and to compare between toxic effects of diabetes on rats treated with insulin versus rats treated with insulin-seed extract.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed in the Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from August to December 2010. One hundred rats were divided into 5 groups. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 was given daily ingestions of 10 ml of date seed extract. Animals of groups 3 and 4 were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection, and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 3 IU/day of insulin for 8 weeks. Group 4 received, in addition, daily ingestions of 10 ml of seed extract. Group 5 were made diabetic with streptozotocin and then given the seed extract only. At the end of experiment, rats were decapitated, and the sera were separated for estimation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine levels. Livers and kidneys were processed for light microscopic study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean values of all tested serum levels were significantly higher in Group 3 compared to Groups 1, 2 and 4 (with the exception of ALT in the case of Group 4). There was no significant change when comparing the mean values of Groups 1, 2, and 4. Livers and kidneys of rats in Groups 1, 2, and 4 showed normal histology, while those of Group 3 showed histopathological changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Date seed extract administration is safe on the liver and kidney. In addition, insulin-date seed extract combination minimizes the toxic effects of diabetes on these organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ahmedfathala@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmed F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: El Fouhil
authors.forename: Aly M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Hasem H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Darwish
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atteya
authors.forename: Ali H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Al-Roalle
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012639:Seeds; D013311:Streptozocin; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013311:Streptozocin; D003404:Creatinine; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase