The Effect of Seeding Nasturtium officinale Water Extract on Plasma Lipids and Glucose Level in Diabetic Rats

For treating diabetic patients, different nutrients are being used in some areas of Kerman province, Nasturtium offsinallis (NF) is one of them. In current research, effects of NF on plasma lipid and glucose levels have been assessed in diabetic rats. In this experimental study, 60 male rats were randomly divided into six groups, consisting, one intact non-diabetic group, and remaining 5 groups were injected 55 mg/kg streptozotocin subcutaneously to establish experimental diabetes. Three groups of diabetic animals were treated orally (via gavage) low (25 mg/kg), and high (75 mg/kg) doses of aqueous extract of NF in a volume of 1.5 ml for short period (4 weeks), long period (8-weeks), respectively. One group of diabetic animals was given 2-4 U of NPH insulin intraperitoneally (IP). The last group was given nothing at the end of each experiment. In all groups, blood glucose and lipid levels were measured. There was significant reduction in plasma glucose in treatment groups compared to diabetic groups. The greatest decrease (96%) was observed in the high dose (long term group for NF extract) which this reduced glucose level was significant compared to the reduced plasma glucose due to insulin injection (p<0.001). There wasn’t observed any change in diabetic animal's total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of plasma. Both low and high doses of extracts increased LDL- cholesterol levels in diabetic animals. In diabetic animals, plasma HDL- cholesterol levels (33±2.17) decreased by long term dose of extract (17.4±2). Both doses decreased plasma glucose in diabetic animal, whereas, it had not effect on plasma lipids or had negative effect, therefore this research suggested that NF extract is useful for control of blood glucose.