Anti-Diabetic Effects of Nigella sativa and Cichorium intybus in Animal Experimental Model

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease in humans associated with severe complications with a significant impact on the health, life expectancy, and lifestyle of patients. The present study has been designed to examine the anti-hyperglycemic efficacy of two medicinal plants - Nigella sativa seeds and Cichorium intybus leaves - and their combined effects on body weight and hematological/serological parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. For this purpose, 30 adult rabbits were divided into six equal groups of five rabbits each. Group I was kept as the negative control, while all other groups received a single intravenous injection of alloxan monohydrate to induce diabetes: Group II as positive control; Group III received metformin hydrochloride; Group IV was fed powdered C. intybus plant leaves; Group V was given N. sativa aqueous seeds extract; and Group VI was fed a combination of C. intybus and N. sativa. Fasting blood glucose levels and body weight of rabbits were observed at 0 days (before treatment) to Day 28 and regularly monitored during the four-week experimental trial. Biochemical analysis, serum insulin level, and hematological parameters were measured at the end of the experiment. Results showed that C. intybus, N. sativa, and their mixture significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the blood glucose levels, urea and creatinine levels, and enzyme levels in the blood. At the same time, body weight gain, red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and packed cell volume (PCV) % were increased in diabetic rabbits as compared with positive control rabbits. It was concluded that these plants have potential hypoglycemic effects and reduced diabetic complications in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. Further studies are needed to understand their potential for antidiabetic remedy.