Abstract

HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHANGES ON STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF POLYHERBAL EXTRACT: A STUDY ON PANCREAS AND KIDNEY

*Biju T. Francis and Sudha S.

ABSTRACT

The life expectancy of the global population is increasing and about 30% of the population will be over 60 years old by 2025 which increases the age-related chronic diseases. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic syndrome instigated by genetic and (or) acquired deficiency in pancreatic insulin production or body’s ineffective use of insulin which leads to an increased concentration of blood glucose. Currently 422 million people of global population have diabetes which is expected to be more than double in the next 20 years. The combined effects of polyherbal hydro-alcoholic extracts of seven well-known herbal medicinal plants; Phyllanthus emblica (fruit), Tinospora cordifolia (whole plant), Phyllanthus amarus (whole plant), Syzygium aromaticum (flower), Curcuma Longa (rhizome), Piper longum (fruit) and Moringa oleifera (leaf) on the histopathology of pancreas and kidney have been evaluated in the present study. The hydro-alcoholic treatment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was found to be effective in preserving the normal histological appearance of pancreatic islets and kidney whereas the untreated diabetic rats demonstrated pathological features. The extracts show improvement in the regeneration of β- cells of pancreas as well as renal profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Keywords: Polyherb, histopathology, pancreas, kidney, streptozotocin, diabetes mellitus.