Abstract

Diabetes arises from a deficient production of insulin by the ß-cells of the pancreatic islets. Many traditional treatments have been recommended in the alternative system of medicine for treatment of diabetes mellitus; however, the mechanism of most of the herbs used has not been defined. This study was carried out to clarify the effect of walnut (Juglans regia) oil on blood glucose and their possible effect on pancreatic tissue. Diabetes mellitus was induced in 20 adult male rats, using intraperitoneal injection of 75 mg/kg body weight (BW) alloxan. The diabetic rats were divided into two groups; the first group (positive control) received an ordinary diet, and the second group, diabetic rats treated with walnut oil. The non-diabetic rats (negative control group) received neither alloxan nor the oil. Following consumption of oil, blood glucose was measured and on the last day the pancreas were removed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and morphology of the pancreatic sections was studied. The results of this study indicate that walnut oil was able to reduce blood glucose significantly when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the control, positive group average area of islets in pancreatic sections was significantly reduced in comparison with the control negative (normal health) and diabetic treated with walnut oil (P < 0.05). These results suggest the validity of the clinical use of walnut oil in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type I.

Key words: Walnut, alloxan, diabetes mellitus type I, rat.