Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Aloe Vera on Fetal Cerebellar Development in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

This study investigated the effects of hydoalcoholic Aloe vera extract on fetal cerebellar tissue in diabetic pregnant rats.

Forty eight adult pregnant Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups of 8 including control(C), receiving 400mg/kg Aloe vera extract(CA), diabetic(D), diabetic receiving 20IU/kg insulin(DI), diabetic receiving 400mg/kg Aloe vera extract(DA) and diabetic receiving 20 IU/kg insulin and 400mg/kg Aloe vera extract(DAI). The rats received insulin subcutaneously and the Aloe vera extract through gavage. Blood glucose and body weight were recorded on days 1,7,14 and 18 of gestation. On day 18, the weight of each rat and the number and gender of its fetuses were recorded. Fetal brains were removed and tissue sections of their cerebellum were prepared. The results were analyzed through ANOVA and at the significant level of p≤0.05.

Blood glucose in diabetic groups was significantly higher than C and CA groups. Weight of pregnant rats on days 7,14, and 18 significantly decreased in the D,DI, and DAI compared to the C and CA groups. The number of newborns significantly decreased and the neonatal weight increased in all diabetic groups compared to the C and CA groups. Compared to the C group, the thickness and number of gray and white matter cell bodies and thickness and number of cells in the molecular layer,Purkinje and granular cells significantly decreased in the D group compared to the C group.

Aloe vera extract was able to prevent the effects of excessive production of oxidants in diabetes.