Kobra Jafari - Ph.D. student, Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Shahrbanoo Oryan - Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran,Iran
Ramesh Ahmadi - Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Qom, Qom, Iran
Akram Eidi - Professor, Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Liver disorders are associated with cellular death through type II diabetes and the damages should be excluded and apoptosis as a protective mechanism is demanding. Antioxidant agents are great nominates to compencate this deficency and plant secondary methabolites such as Peganum harmala’s alkaloids are concidered one of the best resourses in this case. P. harmala was collected from Zahedan. Phytochemical analysis of the leaf and seed extracts was executed via HPLC and DPPH tests. 64 male Wistar rats (250-300 gr) were organized in 8 groups of 8 individuals. The animal protocol was approved at the meeting of the ethics committee of the Islamic Azad University, numbered IR.IAU.SRB.REC.1396.37. Diabetes was induced by 70 mg/kg of STZ. Treating groups received 150 mg/kg of leaf or seed extract, or 6.5 mg/kg of harmine daily for 4 weeks. Sampling from anesthetized rats was performed for biochemical and histopathological evaluations and flow cytometry. It was indicated that methanolic seed excracts of P. harmala reduced plasma cholestrole and triglysrides level in both healthy and diabetic groups. Biochemical tests demonstrated that the seed extracts and harmine reduced the liver enzymes plasma level significantly. The leaf extracts and harmine were able to reduce apoptosis among diabetic groups significantly, while seed extracts prompeted in more apoptosis induction. Treated group with the seed extracts showed significant levels of healing and recovery in the liver tissue in histopathological evaluations. Significant antioxidant characteristics of the seed extract of P. harmala makes them as potential hypoglycemic medicine to moderate complications indicated by diabetes.

Peganum harmala, Type II diabetes, Apoptosis, Harmine