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Background&Objective: Marrubium vulgare has preventing and antioxident components. There are some evidence of hypoglicemic and hypolepidemic of this medicinal herb. This study was done to determine the hypoglycemic and the hypolipidemic activities of Marrubium vulgare in diabetic Rats. Materials&Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats were divided into control, treated control, diabetic, and treated diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, streptozotocin (STZ 60 mg/Kg i.p.) was used at a single dose. The treatment groups received oral administration of plant-mixed pelleted food (6.25%) for two months. Serum glucose, triglyceride and cholestrol concentrations. Were meuseud by spectrophotometry technique. Results: Serum glucose level in diabetic group increases 4 and 8 weeks after the experiment as compared to data one week before the study began (P<0.05). Marrubium vulgare treatment of diabetic rats did not any significant effect. In addition, triglyceride level in diabetic group increased 8 weeks after the experiment in comparison with related data one week before the study (P<0.05) and there was a significant lower level of triglyceride in Marrubium vulgare-treated diabetic rats (p<0.05). Furthermore, a similar significant reduction was obtained for treated-diabetic group as compared to diabetic group regarding serum cholesterol level (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that oral administration of Marrubium vulgare in long-term could significantly reduce serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels without any effect on serum glucose in diabetic rats.

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Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common serious metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia, altered metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), affects 3.5–5% of all human pregnancy. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate the effect of gestational diabetes on astrocyte density in CA1 and CA3 subfields of hippocampus in rat male offspring.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 12 Wistar Dams rats were randomly allocated in control and diabetic groups. Gestational diabetes induced by 40 mg/kg/body weight of streptozotocin at the first day of gestation (GD) in experimental group and controls were received an equivalent volume normal saline injection intraperitoneally (IP). Six male offspring of cases and controls dams, at the 7, 21 postnatal day (P7, P21) were randomly selected. Animals were scarified using chloroform anesthesia. The coronal sections of brain by 6 micrometer serially were prepared. The sections were stained with PTAH. The number of astrocytes was evaluated in 100000 μm² area of CA1 and CA3 in 1000X magnification. Data was analyzed by SPSS-11.5 and t-test.

Results: In CA1 subfield of hippocampus in offspring, the number of astrocytes  significantly reduced by 36.25% and 36.37% in diabetic group in compare to controls in the P7 and P21, respectively (P<0.05). In CA3, astrocytes density significantly reduced 36.35% and 26.5% in GD in comparison with controls in the P7 and P21, respectively (P<0.05).

Conclusion: This study showed that the uncontrol gestational diabetes significantly reduces astrocytes density in CA1 and CA3 subfields of hippocampus in rat offspring.

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Background and Objective: Diabetes mellitus cause learning, memory and cognitive skills disorders in the long term. This study was conducted to determine the protective effect of silymarin on the learning and memory deficiency in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 40 male Wistar rats weighing 240-300 grams. The rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups: control, silymarin -treated control (100 mg/kg), diabetic, and two silymarin -treated diabetic groups (50 and 100 mg/kg). Silymarin was daily administered (i.p. and daily) ten days after streptozotocin injection for 4 weeks. Finally, initial (acquisition index) and step-through latencies (retention and recall index) were measured using passive avoidance test and alternation behavior percentage as an index of spatial memory was determined using Y maze. The level of malondialdehyde in the homogenate hippocampal tissue of the animals brains was measured. Data were analyzed using Sigma Stat-3.5, one-way and two-way ANOVA, Tukey, and Kruskall-Wallis tests. Results: A significant reduction of STL was observed in diabetic (P<0.01) and silymarin-treated (50mg/kg) diabetic (P<0.05) groups and this parameter was significantly higher in diabetic group receiving a high dose of silymarin compared to diabetic group (P<0.05). Meanwhile, alternation percentage in diabetic animals was significantly lower than control group (P<0.05) and this index did not show a significant difference in silymarin-treated diabetic groups in comparison with diabetic group. In diabetic rats, there was a significant increase in the tissue level of malondialdehyde (P<0.05) and silymarin treatment with dosage of (100 mg/kg) significantly reduced the level of MDA (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that although long-term administration of silymarin at a high dose (100 mg/kg) affects the ability to store data in memory and to recall it in diabetic animals in passive avoidance test, it does not improve short-term spatial memory in diabetic animals. The beneficial effects of silymarin may be via attenuation of lipid peroxidation in hippocampus tissue.

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Background and Objective: Diabetes induces motor dysfunctions, Palmatine is an isoquinoline alkaloid, with anti-diabetic and antioxidant activities. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Palmatine on motor dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male wistar rats were randomly allocated into control, Palmatine-treated non-diabetic, diabetic and Palmatine-treated diabetic groups. Diabetes was induced by STZ administration at the dose of 55 mg/kg/bw, intraperitoneally. Palmatine hydrochloride was administered subcutaneous at doses of 10 mg/kg/bw per day for a period of 6 weeks, one week after induction of diabetes. Blood glucose level was measured 1, 3, 5, 7 weeks after STZ injection. Locomotor activity tests including Y maze, grip-traction and inclined plane tests were performed to determining locomotor activity. Results: In Y maze test, the number of arms entered significantly increased in Palmatine-treated diabetic group compared to diabetic group (P<0.05). Grip traction and inclined plane tests significantly increased in Palmatine-treated diabetic group compared to diabetics animals (P<0.05). Conclusion: Palmatine hydrochloride administration for 6 weeks improves motor dysfunctions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

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Background and Objective: Alzheimer's disease is an age-related disease that is characterized by dementia and loss of neurons in the brain. It has been shown that brain oxidative stress plays an important role in aging and neurodegenerative disorders. This study was done to evaluate the effect of grape seed extract (GSE) on memory impairment induced by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in animal model of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: In this experimental study, Eighty adult male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into control, sham, grape seed extract (100 mg/kg/bw, 30 days, orally) plus STZ and STZ plus grape seed extract. Animals memory were evaluated using Morris water maze, shuttle box and T maze tests.

Results: Intracerebroventricular injection of STZ caused memory corruption in all tests. Administration of GSE before and after of administration of intracerebroventricular STZ in the Morris water maze test, significantly reduced latency to get to the hidden platform compared to Alzheimer's group (P<0.05). The latency to enter the dark compartment in passive avoidance memory test significantly increased in compare to animal model of Alzheimer's disease (P<0.05). The selection of the right arm of the T-maze test in animals that received grape seed extract before and after of STZ injection significantly increased compared to animal model of Alzheimer's disease(P<0.05).

Conclusion: Grape seed extract has important effect in prevention and improving memory impairment induced by intracerebventricular injection of STZ.