Abstract

In this investigation, blood sugar and the kidney histopathological changes in diabetic rats were studied stereologically after being treated with the aqueous ethanol extract of Medicago sativa . Thirty two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, control+extract, diabetic and diabetic+extract groups (n=8). Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 90 mg/kg of streptozotocin. Treatment with aqueous ethanol extract of Medicago sativa (550 mg/kg) was followed for 4 weeks. Then the left kidneys were excised and stereologically studied. The results revealed that blood sugar of the diabetic rats was reduced highly significant following treatment with aqueous ethanol extract of Medicago sativa . The final body weight in the diabetic, control and control+extract rats increased significantly in comparison with the first body weight but not in the diabetic+extract group. The kidney weight was the same in all groups except for the diabetic+extract rats which increased significantly compared to the control+extract ones. The total volume of kidney and the volume of cortex were the same in all groups while the volume of medulla increased significantly in the diabetic+extract groups compared to the control+extract ones. In addition the total glomerular volume increased significantly in diabetic rats compared to the control ones. In conclusion, although the consuming dose of the extract of Medicago sativa caused a noticeable reduction of blood sugar; however, it had no distinct effect on nephropathy side effects in this short term study.