Protective Role of Three Vegetable Peels in Alloxan Induced Diabetes Mellitus in Male Mice

Abstract

The hitherto unknown glucose regulating role of three vegetable peels from cucurbitaceae family was evaluated. In a preliminary study, effects of ethanolic extracts of Cucurbita pepo, Cucumis sativus and Praecitrullus fistulosus peels were studied at 250 and 500 mg kg(-1) d(-1) for 15 days in the alterations in serum glucose and in hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) in male mice. In the pilot experiment, the effective and safe concentration of each peel was administered (p.o.) for 10 consecutive days and then on 11th and 12th days alloxan was administered along with peel extracts. The treatment was continued up to 15th day. At the end, alterations in serum glucose, insulin, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein, hepatic lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase and catalase were studied. All the three peel extracts nearly reversed most of these changes induced by alloxan suggesting their possible role in ameliorating diabetes mellitus and related changes in serum lipids. However, Cucurbita pepo peel was found to be the most effective. Total polyphenols, flavonoids and ascorbic acid contents of the test peels were also estimated, which appear to be associated with the observed antidiabetic and antioxidative potentials.

Investigations on the anti-diabetic potential of novel marine seaweed <i>Sargassum longiotom</i> against alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus: A pilot study

“…Diabetes was confirmed 48 hours after alloxan injection by determining the plasma glucose concentra-tion; only animals with plasma glucose of 150 -200 mg/dL were used for the experiment. The diabetic animals were allowed free access to tap water and pellet diet and were maintained at room temperature in plastic cages (Dixit and Kar, 2010).…”

Effects of Cucurbita ficifolia Intake on Type 2 Diabetes: Review of Current Evidences

“…In addition, C. ficifolia reduced plasma and liver triglycerides (TG) levels by 47% and 15%, respectively. Moreover, serum TC and atherogenic index were significantly lower in the C. ficifolia group than in controls (P < 0.05) (14). Makni et al (8) showed the serum TG level did not differ between the control and pumpkin groups although the nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) level was significantly lower in the C. ficifolia group in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05) (15).…”

“…Another study found that both plasma and liver lipids decreased by 21% and 19%, respectively, in the group of animals with C. ficifolia diet (14). Xia et al (10) reported that C. ficifolia -rich diet reduced plasma and liver total cholesterol (TC) levels by 47% and 45%, respectively.…”

Mitochondria and Antioxidants: The Active Players in Islet Oxidative Stress

“…In animal models of both T1D and T2D, polyphenols of different origin were reported to lower blood glucose levels (Al-Awwadi et al 2004;Su, Hung, and Chen 2006;Ciocoiu et al 2009;Dixit and Kar 2010;Ong et al 2011). The hypoglycemic effect can be caused by multiple mechanisms.…”

“…This may be a result of direct antioxidant activity of polyphenols, as well as a result of their ability to upregulate expression of antioxidant-defense enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) superoxide dismutase and catalase activities (Ciocoiu et al 2009;Lee, Wang, et al 2009;Dixit and Kar 2010). It is well known that oxidative stress plays a substantial role in the destruction of beta-cells by infiltrated self macrophages and lymphocytes.…”