EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF CROCIN ON THE SERUM LEVELS OF GLUCOSE, INSULIN, UREA, CREATININE AND Β2M IN HEALTHY AND STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

In order to evaluate the alleviative effect of crocin on diabetes mellitus and its kidney complications, the serum levels of glucose, insulin, urea, creatinine and &beta2M were examined in healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after crocin administration. In this study 45 rats were divided into 9 groups (5 each) of healthy control, diabetic control, diabetic treatment with crocin (two dose of 10 and 40 mg/kg) and diabetic positive treatment (with insulin 5 mg/kg) in a period of 20 days. The results indicated that the serum levels &beta2M, urea and creatinine significantly increased in diabetic rats. However, in groups receiving crocin with the dose of 10 and 40 mg/kg the serum levels of &beta2M were significantly lower than the control diabetic rats showing beneficial effect of crocin preventing diabetic nephropathy. Although the serum levels of urea and creatinine decreased in crocin receiving groups but they did not reach to a significant level. Finally, crocin decreased the serum levels of &beta2M, glucose, urea and creatinine in diabetes mellitus causing a protective effect on the disease and its kidney complications. It seems the beneficial effect of crocin was modulating with stimulatory insulin secretion and ameliorative insulin resistance effects.