| ABSTRACT Diabetes is a metabolic disease caused by abnormal insulin secretion or action. In the present study, the effects of betulinic acid (BA, a triterpene) are evaluated on glucose, α-amylase and plasma insulin levels, insulin resistance and the histopathology of pancreatic islets in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA) diabetic mice. Seventy adult male NMRI mice were randomly divided into seven groups: control, sham, diabetic, diabetic treated with BA (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) and diabetic treated with metformin (200 mg/kg). Diabetes was induced in mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin 50 mg/kg after a dose of nicotinamide 120 mg/kg. Two weeks after treatment with BA, blood samples were collected for measuring glucose, α-amylase and insulin... |
