COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN EFFECTS OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Olea europaea LEAVES AND METFORMINE ON LIPID PROFILE IN STREPTOZOTOCINE-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Olive leaves of Olea europaea L. had many indications in traditional medicine. Studies have suggested hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic activities of the extracts olive leaves on diabetic animals. The objective of this study was to assess effects of the ethanolic extract of O. europaea leaves on blood glucose and lipid profile in streptozotocine-induced diabetic rats.

Forty male rats were divided into four groups randomly; group 1 as control, group 2 as diabetic untreated, group 3 as treated with extract of olive leaves (150 mg/kg bw.) and group 4 treated with metformine (20 mg/kg bw.). After 10 weeks, blood glucose, total-cholesterol and Triglyceride concentrations of all groups were analyzed. The ethanolic extract of O. europaea leaves significantly decreased blood glucose, cholesterol and Triglyceride concentrations in comparison with those of untreated diabetic rats. The findings of this study illustrate the preeminence of the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic pharmacological activities of extract of O. europaea leaves.