Seyed Mehrdad Kassaee
Mohammad Taghi Goodarzi
Ebrahim Abbasi Oshaghi

Background: Herbal medicine is used in all parts of the world mainly for prevention and treatment of various disorders due to better cultural suitability, lower cost and less side effects. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the hypoglycemic and kidney-protective effects of the aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum and Cinnamon on diabetic rats. Methods: In this experimental study, rats were randomly divided into ۶ groups as follows: Group ۱: control group in which animals received chow diet, group ۲: diabetic rats, group ۳: diabetic rat + ۲% T. foenum extract (w/w), group ۴: diabetic rat + ۸% of Trigonella foenum extract (w/w), group ۵: diabetic rat + ۲% Cinnamon extract (w/w) and group ۶: diabetic rat + ۸% of Cinnamon extract (w/w). Aqueous extract of T. foenum leaves and Cinnamon were administered to diabetic rats for ۴ weeks. The malondialdehyde (MDA) level and total antioxidant capacity were also measured in kidney of the animals. In addition, morphological changes of the kidney were also analyzed by the light microscope. Results: Trigonella foenum and Cinnamon extract in diabetic animals significantly reduced MDA levels and restored antioxidant capacity (P<.۰۵). T. foenum and Cinnamon also normalized plasma urea and creatinine concentration in diabetic rats (P<.۰۵). Administration of T. foenum and Cinnamon extract especially at the dose of ۸ mg/kg normalized histopatholgical changes of kidney in diabetic animal. Conclusions: The findings of this experiment showed that T. foenum extract and Cinnamon restored antioxidant capacity and structural changes of kidney.