Protective action of Citrullus colocynthis seed extracts against the deleterious effect of streptozotocin on both in vitro glucose-stimulated insulin release from rat pancreatic islets and in vivo glucose homeostasis.

Citrullus colocynthis extracts improve glucose homeostasis in alloxan- or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Little is known, however, regarding the protective effect of these extracts against the ß-cytotoxic action of STZ. In the present study, an H2O-methanol extract was found to suppress the inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by STZ in rat-isolated pancreatic islets. Similarly, when an aqueous extract from Citrullus colocynthis seeds was injected daily for 21 days prior to STZ administration, the perturbation of glucose homeostasis otherwise generated by the ß-cytotoxic agent was minimized in rats.