EJMS

Abstract

This study was held to evaluate the efficacy of Curcumin and Ginseng administration in amelrioration of the morphological changes of the islets of Langerhans which are induced by Alloxan in rats. Fifty adult male rats were randomly divided into three groups: Group I (Control), Group II (Diabetic): in which the diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of Alloxan (100 mg/kg) and Group III (Diabetic/Ginseng& Curcumin): in which the diabetes was induced as in group II then after 7 days the rats received Ginseng at a dose of 400 mg/kg in addition to Curcumin 200 mg/kg daily orally by gastric intubation for further 30 days. At the end of the experiment the results showed that treating the diabetic rats with the combination of Ginseng and Curcumin normalized the hyperglycemia induced by Alloxan. Histological examination revealed that this herbal combination inhibited the degenerative histopathological changes and the inflammatory cellular infiltration of the islets of Langerhans that were induced by Alloxan. Immunohistochemistry using anti-insulin antibodies showed that treatment of diabetic rats with the present herbal combination retained the normal intensity and number of β-cells to be comparable to that of the control. Morphometric studies revealed that the group of the diabetic rats that was treated with the herbal combination showed significantly higher percentage of β-cells (82%) than that of Alloxan-induced rats (34%). While β-cell percentage showed non-significant difference between the control group and the diabetic/Ginseng & Curcumin group. These data indicated that the Ginseng& Curcumin combination protects the islets from the degenerative changes induced by Alloxan and that this combination can be a helpful adjuvant in the treatment of diabetes.