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Introduction: Use of medicinal plants for decreasing blood glucose and lipids to normal level is clinically important. In this respect, Silybum marianum (SM) is a plant that can lower lipid peroxidation and lipids in an experimental model of hyperlipidemia. Therefore, the effect of chronic oral administration of this plant on serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and HDL and LDL cholesterol level of diabetic rats was investigated. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, female rats (n=36) were randomly divided into 4 groups, including control, SM-treated control, diabetic, and SM-treated diabetic groups. The treatment groups received oral administration of plant-mixed pelleted food (6.25%) for 4 weeks. Serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels were determined before the intervention, and at 2nd and 4th weeks after the intervention. Data was analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA, One way ANOVA, student and pairt T and Tukey tests. Results: Serum glucose level in diabetic group was increased in seond and 4th weeks after the intervention as compared to one week before that (p<0.001) and SM treated diabetic rats only had a mild non-significant effect. In addition, triglyceride level in diabetic group increased 4 weeks after the intervention in comparison to related data one week before that (p<0.05) and there was a significant lower level of triglyceride in SM-treated diabetic rats (p<0.05). Furthermore, a similar significant reduction was obtained for treated-diabetic group as compared to diabetic group regarding serum cholesterol level (p<0.05). On the other hand, HDL- and LDL- cholesterol levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) and lower (p<0.05) in SM-treated diabetic group as compared to untreated diabetic group respectively. Conclusion: Oral chronic administration of SM had no significant hypoglycemic effect and led to appropriate changes in blood lipid profile.

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Background and Aim: In addition to free radicals such as Nitric Oxide (NO), inflammation is one of the most important pathophysiological causes of peritonitis. Over thousands of years, Nigella Sativa (NS) and Silybum Marianum (SM) are two plants known for their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of its compound is unclear. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of NS and SM extracts and their combination on inflammatory diseases like thioglycollate peritoneal.
Methods & Materials: Alcoholic extracts of SM and NS were obtained by the soxhlet method. Male Balb/C mice were divided into 5 groups and gavage orally for 14 days with SM, NS, the mixture of extracts of these two, DMSO 30% as the control group, and dexamethasone as the positive control group. The safety profile and acute toxicity in mice were assessed. On day 10, acute peritonitis was induced by thioglycollate 3%. Finally, the total anti-oxidant power and NO concentration were measured by FRAP and Griess method, respectively, in the serum of treated mice.
Ethical Considerations: All experimental process was performed following the guidelines according to the Animal Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (IR.ARAKMU.REC.1397.359).
Results: Acute toxicity test showed no significant changes in weight and physical appearance of the mice. However, the extract and their mixture decreased NO level significantly (P=0.000) in serum. Also, the mixture significantly increased total anti-oxidant power (P=0.015).
Conclusion: Results showed that the SM and NS extract mixture demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity, inhibiting inflammatory mediators such as NO and increasing anti-oxidant power, thus supporting its therapeutic potential in slowing down inflammatory processes in inflammation disorders.