pancreatic protective and hypoglycemic effects of vitex agnus-castus l. fruit hydroalcoholic extract in d-galactose-induced aging mouse model

d-galactose induces pancreatic disorder along with aging mouse model. vitex agnus-castus (vac) has potential pancreatic protective effect. hence, this study was designed to evaluate the hypoglycemic and pancreas protective effects of vac hydroalcoholic extract in d-galactose-induced aging female mice. in the present experimental study, 72 adult female naval medical research institute (nmri) mice (weighing 30–35 g) were divided into 6 groups of control, vac hydroalcoholic extract, d-galactose, d-galactose + vac hydroalcoholic extract, aged, aged + vac hydroalcoholic extract. the aged model was prepared by subcutaneous injection of d-galactose for 45 days and, vac hydroalcoholic extract was gavaged twice a day in the last 7 days. 24 h after the last drug and extract administrations, serum samples and pancreatic tissues were removed to evaluate experimental and histological determinations. serum glucose level decreased in vac, d-galactose and, aged-treated groups compared to the control ( p < 0.05). insulin level increased in vac and decreased in d-galactose and aged vac-treated mice compared to the control ( p < 0.05). homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (homa-ir) increased in d-galactose, aging, and vac hydroalcoholic extract groups ( p < 0.05) and, administration of vac hydroalcoholic extract improved homa-ir in d-galactose and aging treated animals. despite the size of pancreatic islets decreased in aged and d-galactose groups, vac administration recovered it. present data showed that vac hydroalcoholic extract has hypoglycemic and pancreatic protective effects in natural aged and aging                   model mice.