title: Anti-diabetic effect of Capparis spinosa L. root extract in diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorders with severe impact on quality of life. Reducing serum glucose levels and normalization of serum lipid is of great clinical importance for treating diabetes. To our knowledge, there are not any evidences about the anti-diabetic action of capparis spinosa root. In the present study the effects of the C. spinosa root extract on diabetic metabolic disorders have been studied in experimental diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into six groups: normal control (NC), diabetic control (DC), diabetic rats receiving 0.2, 0.4 g/kg of plant extract or 0.6 mg/kg glibenclamide (groups D0.2, D0.4 or DG respectively). A normal group of rats was also designed to receive 0.2 g/kg of plant extract (N0.2). Rats were rendered diabetic (streptozotocin 60 mg/kg, i.p.) and treated with 0.2, 0.4 g/ kg of plant extract or glibenclamide for four weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood was drawn through heart puncture under deep anesthesia. Weight was measured weekly, glucose levels were measured at the first and fourth week and lipid profiles, insulin and liver enzymes at the end of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glucose levels significantly decreased after treating with plant extract (p=0.003). However, insulin levels did not increase in any treating groups. Plant extract could significantly raise HDL and reduce levels of LDL and liver enzymes (ALT and ALP).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results showed that C. spinosa root extract could improve diabetic related metabolic derangement such as hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and elevated liver markers in an insulin-independent manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazemian
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran ; Booali Medical Research Center, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Haeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.affiliation: Anesthesiology Section, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heidari
keywords: capparis spinosa; diabetes mellitus; glibenclamide; insulin