Assessment of Ameliorative Effects of Zingiber Officinale and Nigella sativa on Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

The present study was aimed to elucidate the anti-diabetic effects of Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Nigella sativa (black seed) ethanolic extract on streptozotocin (STZ) - nicotinamide (NA) induced diabetic rats and compared the extract efficacy with metformin, a known as antidiabetic drug. Fifty male albino rats of Wistar strain were randomly divided into five equal groups; the 1st group was kept as normal control, and 2nd to 5th groups were injected with STZ to induce diabetes. The 2nd group was left without treatment as positive diabetic control, while the 3rd to 5th groups were treated orally with metformin, ethanolic extract of ginger or N. sativa, respectively for 21 consecutive days. At the end of study, blood and pancreatic tissue sample were collected.The ethanol extract of either plant significantly improved the diabetic effects of STZ, specifically improved blood glucose level, serum fructosamine, and decreased serum insulin. Moreover, the changes in serum lipid profile, tissue antioxidants and various histopathological lesions in the pancreas caused by STZ- induced diabetes were significantly reduced. Plants extract improves serum biochemical and histopathological adverse effects occurred by diabetes as compared with the reference drug, metformin.