Materials and Methods: Thirty-two rats (male) were distributed into 4 groups (n=8), including one group as healthy control and three diabetic groups. Streptozotocin was used for inducing diabetes (50 mg/kg). Diabetic rats were grouped into a control group (DC), diabetic treated with 4 mg/kg hydroalcoholic extract of S. aromaticum (DSA), and the DG group receiving 5 mg/kg glibenclamide. After the treatment period, the blood samples of the rats were frozen in -70°C for measuring glycemic indices, insulin, lipid profile, some oxidative stress markers, and enzymes with antioxidant properties. Finally, the kidney was removed for the histological study.

Results: Control, DSA, and DG groups had significantly lower levels of fasting blood sugar compared to the DC group (P<0.05) while the levels of insulin were significantly lower in the DC, DSA, and DG groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). The serum levels of urea and creatinine statistically reduced in all groups other than the DC group (P<0.05). Conversely, the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and significantly increased in the DSA and DG as compared to the DC group although the serum levels of malondialdehyde statistically decreased in the therapeutic groups. S. aromaticum showed antioxidant properties and protected the kidneys of the experimented rats from renal damages, resulting from diabetes.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that S. aromaticum may have beneficial effects in diabetes through improving glycemic control and lipid profile and preventing diabetes-induced kidney damages.