Iranian Journal of

Background: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by insufficient production of insulin or insulin receptors deficiency. It is now the major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in patients with a significant financial burden to the society. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ziziphora ethanolic extract on active pancreatic beta cells on streptozotocin induced diabetic mice.

Methods: In this study, 36 mice were used and divided in to 6 group such as control group, diabetic control and experimental groups which were exposed to dose of 100, 150, 200 and 300mg/kg. STZ intraperitoneally at a dose of 70 mg / kg was administered. In order to determine the number of active pancreatic beta cells, the mice were anesthetized by diethyl ether after treatment with the extracts for 18days. The pancreases were removed from the mice and fixated in 4% formaldehyde afterwards, the pancreases were prepared for sectioning. Three-micron sections were prepared from the samples, and the number of active beta cells was evaluated by an immunocytochemistry kit.

Results: The results showed that the hydroalcoholic extracts of Ziziphora clinopodioides lam (100, 150, 200 and 300 mg/kg) increased the number of beta cells and insulin secretion in diabetic mice, compared to control diabetic mice. In other words, this plant could effectively increase the activity of beta cells in diabetic mice, compared to control mice. Therefore, Ziziphora clinopodioides lam could reduce serum glucose level in diabetic animals by increasing insulin secretion.

Conclusion: According to the results, the hydroalcoholic extract of Ziziphora clinopodioides lam had hypoglycemic effects in streptozotocin-diabetic mice by stimulating insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. Therefore, based on the obtained findings, application of this plant may be useful.