The present study aims to clarify the effect of aqueous extracts from green tea, sage (Salvia officinalis) and ginseng panax (panax quinquefolius L.) on the insulin sensitivity in the alloxanized diabetic rats. The experiment included twenty four normal male albino rats and 24 diabetic ones. They were classified into eight groups each of 6 rats. Two groups served as control (one normal and one diabetic rats) and the other groups were orally given the doses of aqueous extract for four weeks. The chemical analysis included level of blood glucose, plasma insulin, serum total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol, in addition to the influence of these aqueous extracts on the liver glycogen and various enzymes of glucose metabolism (Glucose 6-phosphatase, ALT, AST and alkaline phosphatase).
The results revealed significant decrease (p<0.05) in blood glucose, and highly significant increase in both liver glycogen content and serum insulin level in the diabetic group treated with aqueous extracts of tested plants in this study when compared with the diabetic untreated group.
Serum lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL- cholesterol and HDL- cholesterol) and various enzymes of glucose metabolism (ALT, AST, ALP and glucose- 6-phosphatase) showed significant decrease in the diabetic group treated with aqueous extracts of tested plants when compared with the diabetic group. It is clear from the current data in this study that ginseng aqueous extract was the most efficient of the three tested plants.