Emam A. Abdel-Rahim¹, Mohamed M. Rashed¹, Zeinab M. El-Hawary², Madiha M. Abdelkader², Seham S. Kassem², Rasha S. Mohamed^2,

The current study was carried out to evaluate the effect of chicory leaves (Cichorium intybus) and psyllium seeds (Plantago ovate) on diabetic rats. Ten rats (control normal) were fed on balanced diet. Forty rats were received high fat diet for one month then injected with a single intraperitoneal low dose (30 mg/Kg) of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. Diabetic rats were classified into 4 groups (n=10) and received either high fat diet (diabetes/HFD), balanced diet (diabetes/balanced), balanced diet containing 20% of chicory leaves powder or balanced diet containing 20% of psyllium seeds powder for a month. Administration of chicory leaves or psyllium seeds to diabetic rats produced significant reduction in blood glucose levels and significant reduction in cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The elevated activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase enzymes of diabetic rats were reversed by the feeding on the balanced diets containing either chicory leaves or psyllium seeds. Administration of chicory leaves or psyllium seeds to diabetic rats kept the activities of both superoxide dismutase and catalase as well as the values of malondialdehyde near to those of normal rats. According to the results it could be concluded that the intake of chicory leaves or psyllium seeds may be useful for controlling blood glucose level and combating the metabolic disorders and complications that accompanied with diabetes.

type 2 diabetes mellitus, chicory leaves, psyllium seeds, hyperglycemia, lipid profile