Evaluation of blood sugar lowering effect of airy organs extract of Cupressus sempervirens L. on streptozocin induced diabetic mice

Cupressus extract has been considered as antioxidant and free radical scavenger. In this study we evaluated the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cupressus sempervirens L. on blood sugar, weight and also oxidative stress parameters in experimental diabetic model of mice. 48 male mice of albino race were made diabetic with a single dose of streptozocin (200mg./kg IP injection) for every mouse, and divided into 6 groups of 8 including: positive control(diabetic),negative control(DMSO 10% in normal saline, metformin(100mg.kg),three test groups(which received 50,100,200 mg.kg of the extract respectively by gavage for three weeks).After the treatment period, blood glucose level, weight and oxidative stress parameters such as MDA,GSH and mitochondria proliferation were measured. Using SPSS software 21, data were analyzed by ANOVA and Mann -Whitney statistical analysis. Our results showed that use of hydroalcohlolic extract of Cupressus sempervirens L. reduced blood sugar in a dose dependent way (P<0.01) but there was no significant change in the weights of the mice (P>0.05) and we found decreased oxidative stress parameters and improved hepatic mitochondrial proliferation (P<0.01). According to the results of this study we can conclude that Cupressus sempervirens L. extract can be effective in reduction of blood glucose and prevention of diabetic induced damage to the liver tissue.