Fumaria parviflora improves liver damage and lipid profile changes in STZ-induced diabetic rats

Chemical drugs and herbal medicine play a significant role in the management of diabetes mellitus complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Fumaria parviflora as an herbal source and glibenclamide as a chemical drug, on the liver tissue of diabetic rats.

Male Wistar rats (n=32) were classified randomly into four groups (8/group), including control, diabetic (induced by 50mg/kg streptozocin), 250mg/kg hydroalcoholic extract of Fumaria parviflora (DFP) and 5mg/kg glibenclamide groups. After 21 days of treatment, liver tissues and blood samples were stored at -80°C to test lipid profile, liver enzymes and some oxidative stress markers.

In the diabetic group compared to the control group, the activities of SOD and GPx and also the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase were significantly decreased, while the levels of malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate transaminase enhanced. Treatment with DFP and glibenclamide could manage the levels of all mentioned-parameters. Furthermore, in both treated groups, the rate of damages in the liver of rats reduced compared to the diabetic group.

According to the obtained results, the administration of DFP or glibenclamide could ameliorate the deleterious effects of diabetes mellitus on some investigated-parameters. As there were no difference between DFP and glibenclamide effects, Fumaria parviflora could be considered as an alternative drug, at least for the diabetic complications examined in this study. However, further investigation is needed.