HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN ALLOXAN INDUCED DIABETIC MICE LIVER AND KIDNEY AFTER CARISSA SPINARUM METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT TREATMENT

Carissa spinarum is an evergreen, thorny shrub found in the Himalayan areas of the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. The plant has a number of ethnomedicinal applications. Pharmacologically this plant is used for the treatment of asthma and pulmonary diseases, anticancer, diarrhea, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective and reproductive dysfunction. The present study is aimed to study effects of Carissa spinarum methanolic leaf extract in alloxan treated mice liver and kidney tissues. First group mice served as control and were given distilled water only. Second group mice were given Carissa leaf extract orally to a dose of 800 mg/kg body weight. Mice were injected with intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate at a dose of 120 mg/kg body weight and were further divided into three groups. Third group mice served as diabetic control and were given distilled water. Fourth and fifth group diabetic control mice were given Carissa leaf extract orally to a dose of 600 and 800 mg/kg bodyweight for 28 days. Sixth group mice were given glimepiride at a dose of 2mg/kg body weight. Fasting blood sugar levels were determined after regular intervals and prior to dissection. A significant decrease in blood glucose levels with extract administered groups from initial value 267.96 ± 1.602 mg/dl to final value 168.03 ± 1.598 mg/dl was observed as compared to diabetic mice during the period of experiment up to 28 days. The histopathological studies of liver and kidney of diabetic mice revealed degeneration of normal tissue architecture and various other complications, reparative changes were observed after treatment with Carissa spinarum leaf extract.