Antioxidant potential of biflavonoid attenuates hyperglycemia by modulating the carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in high fat diet/streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The present study was to isolate the biflavonoid (a bimolecular kaemferol structured molecule) and test its efficacy on oxidative stress and carbohydrate metabolic key enzymes in control and high fat diet and streptozotocin -induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Type 2 diabetes was induced in male albino wistar rats by feeding them with high fat diet comprising of 84.3% standard laboratory chow, 5% lard, 10% yolk powder, cholesterol 0.2%, and 0.5% bile salt for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, the animals were kept in an overnight fast and injected with low dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg, dissolved in 0.1 M sodium citrate buffer, pH 4.5).

Results: At the end of the experimental period, diabetic control rats showed significant increase in plasma glucose, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) with concomitant decrease in plasma insulin, total hemoglobin and body weight. The activities of key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism, lipid peroxidation markers, antioxidant enzymes, glycogen content and glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase were also altered in diabetic rats.

Discussion: Oral administration of biflavonoid to diabetic rats significantly ameliorated all the biochemical alterations to near normal levels. The effect produced by the biflavonoid on various parameters was comparable to that of metformin.

KEYWORDS:

• Semecarpus anacardium
• biflavonoid
• diabetes
• metabolic enzymes
• insulin resistant

Acknowledgement

The authors gratefully acknowledge the University Grant Commission, New Delhi, for providing financial support in the form of Research Fellowship in Sciences to Meritorious Students (RFSMS). The authors also thank Research Open Access Publishing (ROAAP) Fund of the University of Illinois, Chicago, for providing financial assistance in the form of Article Processing Charge (APC).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.