Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2011.984.990Nerium oleander Extract on Insulin, Glucose Levels and Some Liver Enzymes Activities in Experimental Diabetic Rat Model]]>MwafySaleh N. YassinMaged M. 1220111421The present study is aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of sulfonylurea drug glimepiride in comparison with Nerium oleander plant extract on insulin, glucose levels and some liver enzymes activities in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats were rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 50 mg kg-1 body weight streptozotocin. Rats with serum glucose levels >200 mg dL-1 were subdivided into three sub-groups: the first sub-group were remained without treatment and considered as diabetics. The second and third subgroups were orally administered 0.1 mg kg-1 body weight/day glimepiride and 250 mg kg-1 body weight/day Nerium oleander, respectively for 4 weeks. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats showed hypoinsulinemia and hyperglycemia compared to controls. Strong negative correlation (r = -0.8) was found between serum insulin and glucose levels in diabetic rats. This correlation was +0.4 and -0.3 in glimepiride and Nerium olender-treated rats, respectively implying that glimepiride and plant extract improved insulin and glucose levels with the former was more efficient. The activities of serum aspatate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats compared to controls. Treatment of diabetic rats with glimepiride or Nerium oleander extract also improved liver enzymes activities.]]>World Health Organization,1999George, M., E. Ayuso, A. Casellas, C. Costa, J.C. Devedjian and F. Bosch,200210911531163Setter, S.M., J.L. Iltz, J. Thams and R.K. Campbell,20032529913025Szkudelski, T.,200150537546Yassin, M.M., A.R.A. Ashour and N.R. Elyazji,200412P37P54Krauss, H., J. Kozlik, M. Gryzymislawski, P. Sosnowski, K. Mikrut, J. Piatek and J. Paluszak,200310BR389BR393West, E., O.R. Simon and E.Y. Morrison,1996456062Seifter, S. and S. England,19821982pp: 219-249pp: 219-249Baquer, N.Z.,199864147180El-Agouza, I., A. Rawy, A. Saad, A. Lashin and S. El-Sisi,200023213224Gawronska-Szklarz, B., D.H. Musial, A. Pawlik and B. Paprota,200355619624Bando, K. and Y. Yamada,2001185967Sato, J., I. Ohsawa, Y. Oshida, Y. Sato and N. Sakamoto,1993in vivo insulin action in normal and diabetic rats.]]>2239Ali, L., A.K. Azad-Khan, Z. Hassan, M. Mosihuzzaman and N. Nahar et al.,1995Trigonella foenum graecum seed.]]>61358360Grover, J.K., S. Yadav and V. Vats,20028181100ACS,2002Pages: 278Pages: 278Haeba, M.H., A.I. Mohamed, A.W. Mehdi and G.A. Nair,200223231237Mythili, M.D., R. Vyas, G. Akila and S. Gunasekaran,200463274281Nieszner, E., I. Posa, E. Kocsis, G. Pogatsa, I. Preda and M.Z. Koltai,2002110212218Adam, S.E.I., M.A. Al-Yahya and A.H. Al-Farhan,200129525532NCCLS,20012nd Edn.,Travis, J.C.,1980Pages: 160Pages: 160Trinder, P.,196962427Thomas, L., 19981998pp: 55-56pp: 55-56Bessey, O.A., O.H. Lowry and M.J. Brock,1946164321329Bogardus, C., S. Lillioja, V. Howard, G. Reaven and D. Mott,19847412381246Hebden, R.A., S.M. Gardiner, T. Bennet and I.A. Macdonald,1989257R932R938Abu-Amra, E.,200015211233Defranzo, R.A. and D.C. Simonson,19921992pp: 1-53pp: 1-53Cheta, D.M., J. Lim, E.K. Chan, T. Kunakorn and M.A. Charles,19955722812290Ashcroft, S.J.H. and F.M. Ashcroft,199211754559Alberti, K.G.M.M., P. Zimmet and R.A. DeFronzo,19972nd Edn.,Pages: 1827Pages: 1827Yassin, M.M. and S.N. Mwafy, 20073195102Mondal, D.K., B.M. Yousuf, L.A. Banu, R. Ferdousi and K.M. Shamim,200413161164Yaniv, Z., A. Dafni, J. Friedman and D. Palevitch,198719145151Yanardag, R., O. Ozsoy-Sacan, H. Orak and Y. Ozgey,200528483497Tanaka, K., S, Nanbara, T. Tanaka, H. Koide and T. Hayashi,1988197175Elyazji, N.,20002000Ashour, A.A., M.M. Yassin and N.R. Elyazji,200412139156Ravi, K., K. Sivagnanam and S. Subramaniam,2004Eugenia jambolana seed kernels on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.]]>7187191Hosseinzadeh, H., H.M.H. Khodaparast and H. Shokohizadeh,1998Saliva leriifolia Benth leaf and seed extract in mice.]]>237880