Evaluation of the Protective Effects of Ginseng Root Extract and Ginsenoside Rg1 Against Liver Complications Induced by Type 1 Diabetes in Male Rats
Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Samarra, Samarra, Iraq.
Research Article
International Journal of Life Science Research Archive, 2026, 10(02), 111-119.
Article DOI: 10.53771/ijlsra.2026.10.2.0043
Publication history:
Received on 28 April 2026; revised on 05 June 2026; accepted on 08 June 2026
Abstract:
Type 1 diabetes is an insidious disease and can cause many problems, most importantly high liver enzymes and liver damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation. The goal of this study was to assess the protective and therapeutic properties of ginseng root extract, ginsenoside Rg1 alone and in combination against liver complications in male diabetic alloxan rats and to compare this effect with metformin. Thirty-five male rats were used and split into 7 groups, 1 normal and 6 diabetics. These groups consisted of metformin, metformin + Ginseng extract and metformin + ginsenoside Rg1 groups, as well as ginseng extract and ginsenoside Rg1 groups. Treatment was given for 5 weeks and liver enzymes such as AST, ALT and ALP were measured to assess the effect of treatment while liver histological changes were assessed. Both the diabetic group and non-diabetic group had significantly elevated liver enzymes with the diabetic group demonstrating marked changes in the liver histological sections, including fibrosis, inflammation and cellular swelling. Contrary to this, all the different treatments resulted in a decrease of such enzymes and an improvement of the histological structure of the liver. The most significant effect was observed in the groups treated with the ginseng extract + ginsenoside Rg1 combination, where the values approached normal. The study concludes that ginseng extract and Ginsenoside Rg1 have effective protective and therapeutic effects against liver damage associated with diabetes, especially when used together, suggesting the possibility of adopting them as an adjunctive treatment option in reducing liver complications associated with diabetes.
Keywords:
Diabetes; Liver enzymes; Histological changes; Ginsenoside Rg1; Oxidative stress
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