The anti-diabetic effects of Ribes khorasanicum as a traditional remedy were investigated in diabetic rats. Thirty-five male rats were divided into five groups: control, diabetic, diabetic treated with
metformin (300 mg kg-1; D+Met), diabetic treated with 250 and 500 mg kg-1 of Ribes khorasanicum hydro-ethanolic extract (D+Rib250 and D+Rib500). After six weeks of treatment, sera of overnight fasted animals were collected and used for measurement of
glucose,
insulin,
lipid profile,
urea,
creatinine, and hepatic
enzymes levels. Moreover, liver and kidney of rats were removed and used for measurement of oxidative stress including
malondialdehyde (MDA),
thiol content, and the activity of
catalase (CAT) and
superoxide dismutase (SOD).
Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes increased the levels of serum
glucose,
triglycerides (TG), total
cholesterol (TC), and
LDL-C,
urea,
creatinine, hepatic
enzymes, and kidney and liver oxidative stress markers, while decreased
insulin and HDL-C when compared to control group. In all treated groups serum levels of
glucose, TC,
LDL-C, TG, and
urea were decreased, while liver SOD activity was increased compared to the diabetic group. The D+Rib500 group had lower Serum
glutamic pyruvic transaminase (
SGPT),
creatinine, and kidney MDA levels, but higher
insulin, HDL-C levels, liver CAT activity, and kidney
thiol content, and CAT activity compared to diabetic group. In D+Met group, serum levels of
serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (
SGOT),
creatinine, and MDA of liver and kidney were decreased, while liver SOD activity was increased compared to the diabetic group. Based on our findings, treatment with Ribes khorasanicum improved
diabetic complications, while the effect of a higher dose of the extract was comparable to
metformin's.