insulin-independent hypoglycemic effects of combined hydroalcoholic extract of medicinal plants capparisspinosaroot, nerium oleander leaf, aloe veragel, daucuscarota seed and apiumgraveolensseed in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

background and objectives:use of non-chemical treatments (medicinal plants) is a novel approach in the treatment of diabetes.this study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of combined hydroalcoholicextract of medicinal plants on the treatment of diabetes in normal and diabetic male rats and its comparison with the effect of glibenclamide. methods:thirty-six male rats were randomly divided into six groups: normal control (nc), diabetic control (dc), diabetic rats received the plant extract at a dose of 0.2g/kg (d0.2) and 0.4g/kg (d0.4), and normal rats received 0.2g/kg plant extract (n0.2). the induction of diabetes was performed by intraperitonealinjection of a single dose of 60mg/kg of streptozotocin. glucose level and weight were measured after injection of streptozotocinand 4-week gavage, and the insulin level was measured only at the end of the 5th week. data were analyzed using one-way anova and tukey’s test. the significance level was considered to be p<0.05. results: the blood glucose level in d0.2 group was significantly decreased (p<0.005) from the third to fifth week, as compared to dc group. however, the decrease in d0.4 group was only significantly observed during the last week of the study (p<0.01). in the dg group, in comparison with the dc group, the glucose level decreased during the third (p<0.005), fourth and fifth weeks (p=0.001). no changes were observed in the insulin level in groups treated with the extract (p>0.05 dc vs. d0.4, d0.2), but in dg group, a significant increase (p<0.05) was observed, as compared with dc group. conclusion: the studied combined extract of medicinal plants has hypoglycemic effects in diabetic rats, which this combination has better effect in lower doses, but the mechanism of these effects is accomplished through increasing insulin levels.