Oral feeding of organium vulgare on serum level of glucose and lipid, hepatic enzymes, and oxidative stress in STZ diabetic rat

Background and Objective: Origanum vulgare (OV) has many beneficial effects in metabolic disorders from the viewpoint of traditional medicine. In this study, the effect of its administration on serum glucose and lipids and liver level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and aminotranferases were studied in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.
Materials and Methods: Male rats (n = 32) were divided into 4 groups, i.e. control, OV-treated control, diabetic, and OV-treated diabetic groups. OV was administered p.o. one week after diabetes induction for 6 weeks. Serum glucose and triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol levels were determined before the study and at 3rd and 6th weeks after the study. Finally, liver level of MDA and activity of hepatic aspartate and alanine aminotransferases were determined.
Results: At 6th week, serum glucose level was significantly higher in diabetic and OV-treated diabetic groups (p < 0.005-0.001) and OV treatment did not significantly reduce it. serum HDL-cholesterol level was significantly higher in OV-treated diabetics as compared to diabetic group (p < 0.05). In addition, OV treatment of diabetic rats did not significantly reduce serum LDL cholesterol level, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride versus diabetic group.
Conclusion: Chronic administration of OV to diabetic rats could increase serum HDL cholesterol level and did not have a significant effect on other lipids and on glucose level and hepatic enzymes and lipid peroxidation.