title: Short-term caraway extract administration improves cardiovascular disease risk markers in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats: a dose-response study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the effects of caraway plant on blood levels of glucose, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein in diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: group 1: nondiabetic control rats, group 2: diabetic rats, group 3, and 4 (caraway treated diabetic groups): each rat was treated with caraway at doses of 1 g/kg in group 3 and 2 g/kg in group 4. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin. Caraway was administered as aqueous extract orally once a day for 3 weeks. Finally, blood samples were collected and fasting blood glucose, serum lipid profile, and C-reactive protein levels were determined. Data were analyzed statistically by one-way Analysis of Variance and considered to be significant when p < .05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic rats receiving 1 and 2 g/kg caraway extracts had significantly lower total cholesterol (p = .036 and p = .010, respectively), low-density lipoprotein (p = .001 and p = .002, respectively), non-HDL-C (p = .003 and p = .007, respectively), LDL-C to HDL-C ratio (p = .002) and atherogenic index (p = .001) than that of diabetic control rats. Moreover, there were significant changes in fasting blood glucose in diabetic groups treated with 1 and 2 g/kg caraway extracts (p = .001 and p = .027, respectively) compared with the diabetic control. However, caraway did not have any significant effect on C-reactive protein level in diabetic rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that caraway can exhibit blood glucose and lipid lowering activities in diabetes, without any effect on C-reactive protein level.
authors.affiliation: 1Diabetes Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Neda Seyed
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Sadjadi
authors.forename: Majid Mohammad
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shahi
authors.forename: Mohammad-Taha
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Jalali
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haidari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D029974:Carum; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol