Diabetes mellitus is one of the dangerous diseases affecting a lot of population all over the world. Natural products are nowadays a target of researches for adaptation of some antidiabetics with less or minimal side effects. Aloe; is one of the natural products that commonly used in folk medicine. Silymarin, is another natural substance which is the product of choice for treatment of liver diseases.
These natural products were tested for their hypoglycemic activity when given alone and in combination with gliclazide in diabetic rats. Gliclazide, aloe and silymarin when given alone significantly decreased blood glucose levels (-72%, -73% and -16%), glycated heamoglobin (-23.2%, -26.4% and -12.4%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (-44.55%, -39.6% and -54%), total cholesterol (TC) (-29%, -58% and -36%) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) (-48%, -63% and -39%), while increased insulin (90.6%, 49.6% and 43.3%) and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL)(99 %, 51% and %7.5%). The effects of these drugs were more pronounced after 30 days of
treatment.
Both aloe and silymarin significantly increased the hypoglyemic effect of gliclazide. Aloe and gliclazide combination decreased blood glucose levels by 80%, TC levels by 56% and LDL levels 69% as compared with gliclazide alone which produced 72%, 29% and 48% respectively.
The combination of silymarin and gliclazide decreased the blood glucose levels by 76%, TC levels by 56% and LDL by levels 53% with respective values of 72%, 29% and 48% for gliclazide alone.