The Effect of Nigella Sativa Extract (Thymoquinone) on Glucose Insulin Levels and Body Weight of Induced Diabetic Female Rats

Abstract

<i>Background</i>: Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion or action or both. Chronic complications of diabetes such as cardiovascular damage, cataracts and retinopathy, nephropathy and polyneuropathy. Induction of experimental diabetes in rodentsis used by Streptozotocin (STZ). A number of therapeutic effects including the effect on diabetes have been described for the Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone). <i>Aim:</i> The goal of this study to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) as a herbal medicines on female induced diabetic rat, and hence investigating the comparison of changes in body weight, levels of glucose and insulin in serum, between normal and diabetic rats. <i>Methods:</i> Adult female Wister rats, weighing 200–250 g, were used. Rats were divided into four groups normal control (Group A), experimental control group (Group B) rats were given 0.5 ml of the single sodium-citrate buffer injection and 1ml of Sesame oil orally via gavage. (Group C) treated STZ-diabetic (60 mg/kg B. W., IP), with of low Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (5 mg/kg B. W, IP), and (Group D) treated STZ-diabetic (60 mg/kg B. W., IP), with of high Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (10 mg/kg B. W., IP) and until the end of experiment were evaluated to assess its effect on body weight, glucose and insulin levels in different groups. <i>Results:</i> The results indicated that significant reduction in glucose levels of high dose of treated group with Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) (10 mg/kg b. w.) compared to low dose. Both dose of treated group with <i>Nigella sativa</i> extract (Thymoquinone) (5 and 10 mg/kg b. w.) very high significantly (p &lt; 0.001) reduced in body weight and insulin levels in comparison to both group normal control and experimental control groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference observed in body weight between normal control and experimental control groups. The present findings suggest an antidiabetic effect of Nigella sativa extract (Thymoquinone) may attributed through a decrease in hepatic gluconeogenesis. <i>Conclusions:</i> Thymoquinone has the ability to improve oxidative stress in plasma and tissues of STZ induced diabetic rats as evidenced by improved glycemic. Thus, Thymoquinone could be considered as a treatment strategy for diabetic complications.