الفهرس 
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Abstract
Pancreatic β-cells secrete insulin and control the levels of plasma glucose; so, its complete destruction plays the main role in the incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1DM). T1DM (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) is a chronic disease which is caused as a result of autoimmune-mediated β-cell dysfunction and apoptosis, resulting in the need for exogenous insulin therapy. Oxidative stress (OS) plays a crucial role in the progression of T1DM and the pathogenesis of its complications. Alloxan can be used to induce diabetes mellitus on experimental animals as it causes a serious damage of β-cells, reduction of insulin secretion and consequently leading to hyperglycemia.
Panax ginseng used many years ago as a herbal medicine in China and it was found to have a lot of pharmacological effects. P. ginseng nearly composed of 90% organic and 10% inorganic substances and its most bioactive constituent is called ginsenoside (saponin) that mainly responsible for its anti-diabetic effect and prevents the expected complications of diabetes.
Ginseng modifies fasting blood glucose level by enhancing β-cell function, improves insulin sensitivity, inhibits β-cells apoptosis, activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, enhances pancreatic islet structure, blocks intestinal glucose absorption, inhibits hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase and up-regulates insulin receptor A (IRA) in diabetic rats. It has an antioxidant effect which can suppress the oxidative stress through decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) production, increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, scavenging hydroxyl radicals and protecting unsaturated fatty acids from deterioration produced by lipid peroxidation. It has a great impact on male reproduction, as it can improve spermatogenesis, testicular problems, enhances semen quality, sex hormone profiles, markedly improves both sperm count and motility and maintains healthy levels of steroid hormone receptors.
So, the objectives of the present study were to determine the following functions of ginseng on the induced diabetic rats.
1. The modulatory effect of Panax ginseng on the pancreatic β-cell activities and glucose level.
2. The hepatoprotective effect of Panax ginseng against the complications of alloxan induced - type 1 diabetes.
3. The ameliorative effect of Panax ginseng on the diabetic reproductive dysfunction.
One experiment was carried out:
Experimental design:
At the first a pilot test was done on 5 rats to ensure the ability of alloxan to induce T1DM (the fasting glucose level was measured in the serum of each rat after 3 days from I/P injection of 140 mg alloxan to confirm diabetes and it was higher than 200 mg/dl).
Sixty adult 5 months old male albino rats weighing 200±10 g were allocated into 6 equal groups (10 rats / group) as follow: Control group (G1): the rats in this group received daily 1 ml saline / kg B.W., diabetic (T1DM) group (G2): received 140 mg alloxan /kg B.W., ginseng group (G3): received daily 200 mg P. ginseng /Kg B.W., ginseng post T1DM induction group (G4): received daily 200 mg P. ginseng /Kg B.W. with the same single dose of alloxan, ginseng pre T1DM induction group (G5): received daily 200 mg P. ginseng /Kg B.W., followed by the same single dose of alloxan, ginseng pre and post T1DM induction group (G6): received daily 200 mg P. ginseng /Kg B.W. for one month then received the same single dose of alloxan followed by administration of P. ginseng with the same dose for another one month. Treatment of saline and ginseng was conducted by gastric gavage for two months, while alloxan was given intraperitoneally.
After 2 months from the beginning of the experiment, the rats were anesthetized by ether. Individual 8 hrs fasting blood samples were collected for serum glucose estimation and the other blood samples were taken from the 12 hours fasted rats for determination of the other biochemical parameters [total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), triglycerides (TG), total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin- globulin ratio (A/G), total bilirubin, both direct and indirect bilirubins, gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cytochrome P450 (CYP450), the activity of hepatic glucose -6- phosphatase (G6Pase) and the activity of the antioxidant markers [glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), in addition; the level of lipid peroxidation product; malondialdehyde (MDA)] and testosterone hormone were also estimated, then all rats were euthanized for collection the following organs:
The pancreas was collected for determination of the percentage area of insulin secretion using immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis, The liver was obtained for estimation of oxidative stress markers and estimation of the genes expression of both adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) and insulin receptors (IR) using real time PCR (rt PCR) technique, the epididymis was collected for epididymal sperm analysis and the testis was also collected. The histological study was performed for all previously collected organs. Results revealed that the previously mentioned parameters were significantly improved after administration of Panax ginseng to diabetic rats.
In conclusion, the present study pointed to the capability of P. ginseng to ameliorate the deleterious effects of DM type 1 through reduction of the serum glucose, cholesterols and bilirubin levels and increasing the insulin, total proteins secretion, suppression of the oxidative stress, increasing the hepatic enzymes level, modulation of both the AMPK and the insulin receptor expressions in the liver and improving many reproductive aspects (the epididymal sperm parameters, the testicular histology and increases the serum testosterone level).
Finally, it could be reported that the best group in achieving the aims of the present study was the ginseng pre and post T1DM induction (G6). So, it could be recommended to use P. ginseng as a dietary supplement to increase the resistance of the body against T1DM and to ameliorate the general health status and relieve some of its metabolic complications.