Abstract
Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus Type I occurs due to autoimmune degeneration of beta cells of islets of Langerhans and can be treated by insulin administration. Moringa Oleifera also has been traditionally used for treatment of diabetes due to its hypoglycemic activity.
Purpose: is to compare the antidiabetic effect of MO leaves extract with insulin on the submandibular salivary glands of diabetic Albino rats.
Materials & Methods: Twenty-eight adult male Albino rats were used: control, diabetic, insulin-treated and Moringa-treated groups. Rats of control group were injected intraperitonial with citrate buffer, while rats in other groups were injected intraperitonial with Streptozotocin . Rats of both insulin & Moringa-treated groups received subcutaneous injection of insulin of 5 IU/kg or a daily oral dose of leaves extract of 250 mg/kg respectively for twenty-eight days.
Results: Increased inter-acinar spaces with many cytoplasmic vacuolations were detected in the diabetic group. Intercalated duct (ID) cells showed decreased cellular height. Striated duct (SD) and Excretory duct (ED) cells revealed some degenerated cells. Serous acini and IDs in treated groups were almost similar to control . SDs showed few areas with cellular degeneration in insulin-treated group. EDs were also comparable to those of the control. In both insulin and Moringa-treated groups, few localized areas of PCNA cytoplasmic and nuclear reactions were detected in some acini, SDs, GCTs. EDs showed few localized areas of nuclear reaction.
Conclusion: Moringa Oleifera leaves extract showed a comparable effect to insulin on decreasing signs of degeneration and cellular damage caused by diabetes.