Background: Diabetes mellitus has been treated orally with herbal remedies based on folk medicine since ancient times. The current study investigates the protective effect of Artemisia herba alba (Ah) against experimentally-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus and its complications. Methods: Diabetes was induced in adult male Wister rats by administration of (Streptozotocin; STZ) at a dose of 52.5 mg/kg, i.p. Animals with diabetes were treated with either Ah ethanolic extract or gliclazide (10mg/kg, p.o.) for 14 days. Biochemical analysis was done such as glucose, insulin, homocysteine, lipid profile (cholesterol, triglyceride), liver function tests (T.bilirubin, AST and ALT), kidney function tests (BUN, sr. creatinine) and oxidative stress biomarkers. In addition, pancreas, liver, kidney, heart and aorta tissues were dissected out for pathological examination. Immuno histochemical study was done on pancreatic tissues for determination of insulin and glucagon immune reactivities. Liver tissues were also separated for genetic analysis. Results: Oral administration of Ah ethanolic extract at a concentration of 400, 200and 100 mg/kg daily for 14 days results in decreased fasting blood glucose and homocysteine levels as well as enhancement of plasma insulin level as compared with STZ-treated rats. The extract improved lipid profile, liver and kidney function tests. It also increased hepatic and renal contents of GSH, diminished lipid peroxidation, and inhibited pathological alterations induced in the different organs. Treatment with Ah extract increased insulin expression while decreased glucagon immunoreactivity and DNA band polymorphism. Conclusion: Thus, our results show that Ah possesses a promising antihyperglycemic effect that is comparable with gliclazide.

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