EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF BERBERIS INTEGERRIMA ROOT ON CHANGES IN BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN, AND MORPHOLOGY OF PANCREAS IN STEREPTOZOTOCIN (STZ) INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Antioxidant agents are beneficial on diabetes mellitus. Berberis Integerrima root extract has been proved to possess antioxidant activity. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the aqueous extract of Berberis Integerrima root on carbohydrate metabolism and morphology of pancreas in STZ induced diabetic rats. Forty male rats were divided into 5 groups of 8 as follows: 1- Group normal (N). 2- Group Normal+barberry (N+B)، 3- Diabetic (D) 4- Group diabetic+barberry (D+B) and 5-diabetic+glibenclamide. The experim ental groups received Barberry root extract (500 mg/kg bw) or glibenclamide (0. 6 mg/kgbw) by gavage for 6 weeks. At the end of the experiment، rats sacrificed by decapitation and fasting blood samples were collected from cervical vein and serum levels of glucose and insulin were measured with commercial kits by spectrophotometery and elisa، respectively. The pancreas of rats were removed and fixed and after tissue processing stained with H&E for light microscopic investigations. The results showed that berberis integerrima root extract (500 mg/kg/w) caused a significant decrease (p<0. 01) in glucose serum level and significant increase (p<0. 01) in insulin levels were compared to the diabetic group. Also Berberis Integerrima root extract caused a significant increase (p<0. 05) in islets average diameters and numbers of islets. Berberis integerrima root extract has hypoglycemic effect by increasing insulin secretion and improvement of the pancreas.