Objective: The present work was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative effect of red berry ( Morus rubra ) and white berry ( Morus alba ) extracts in diabetic rats. Methods: Inflammatory biomarkers; tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), paraoxanase1 (PON1), gene expression of apoptosis and inflammatory related genes were carried out. Results: Treatment of male rats with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β, the apoptosis rates and the alterations of the pro-apoptosis (eotaxin, caspase-1, and caspase-2) and inflammation; nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB1) and allograft inflammatory factor 1 (AIF-1) related genes. While marked reduction in PON1 level was detected in STZ-induced diabetic rats. However, treatment of STZ-exposed rats with red and white berry extracts exhibited noticeable ameliorations in TNF-α, IL-1β, TGF-β levels and PON1 activity as well as low apoptosis rates and decreased the alteration of the pro-apoptosis and inflammatory related genes. Conclusion: Red and white berry extracts exhibited attenuation in antioxidant status, suppressed inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis and the alterations in the apoptosis and inflammatory related genes induced by STZ in male rats.
