Abstract
BackgroundChromium (Cr) is commonly used as a complementary medicine for diabetes mellitus. Several studies suggest that Cr intakes may improve glucose metabolism and decrease oxidative stress. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effects of chromium histidinate (CrHis) supplementation using a range of reliable biomarkers of oxidative damage and histopathological changes in rats with diabetic retinopathy.MethodsDiabetes was induced with streptozotocin [(STZ), 55 mg/kg] by intraperitoneal injection in male Long-Evans rats. Three weeks after STZ injection, rats were divided into four groups, namely, untreated normal controls, normal rats receiving CrHis (110 μg/kg/day); untreated diabetics and diabetics treated with CrHis (110 μg/kg/day) orally for 12 weeks.ResultsIn the untreated diabetic group, levels of serum glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC) and retina malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly increased, while expressions of retina insulin, and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT 1) and glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) and level of serum insulin were decreased. CrHis supplementation was found to reduce the levels of glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol and MDA and to improve the GLUT1, GLUT3 and insulin expressions in STZ-induced diabetic rats. CrHis prevents the changes in the expressions of GLUT1, GLUT3 and insulin and the level of MDA in the retina tissue, confirming the protective effect of CrHis supplementation against the retinopathy caused by STZ. Histopathologic findings suggest that the CrHis-treated diabetic group had normal retinal tissue appearance compared with the untreated diabetic group.ConclusionsThese results verify that CrHis has critical beneficial effects against retinal complications. Although detailed studies are required for the evaluation of the exact mechanism of the ameliorative effects of CrHis against diabetic complications, these preliminary experimental findings demonstrate that CrHis exhibits antidiabetic effects in a rat model of diabetic retinopathy by regulating the glucose metabolism and suppressing retinal tissue damage.
Highlights
Chromium (Cr) is commonly used as a complementary medicine for diabetes mellitus
Effect of chromium histidinate (CrHis) upon body weight and blood analysis in the rats diabetic-induced by streptozotocin STZ administration affected the levels of typical blood parameters characteristic for diabetes, which are accepted values in diabetes diagnostic
Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and total cholesterol levels were significantly increased in untreated diabetic rats compared to control groups while insulin levels were decreased (P < 0.5)
Summary
Chromium (Cr) is commonly used as a complementary medicine for diabetes mellitus. Several studies suggest that Cr intakes may improve glucose metabolism and decrease oxidative stress. Oxidative stress, increasing in diabetic retina during hyperglycemia, is linked to the augmented retinal basement membrane thickening, Ulas et al BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2015) 15:16 diabetic animals treated with multiple trace elements. Certain trace elements supplementation can inhibit diabetesinduced retinal abnormalities associated with increased oxidative stress and can be directly and/or indirectly regulated by their interrelated homeostatic mechanisms to ensure normal retinal function [6]. It is well known that glucose uptake is regulated by glucose transporter proteins (GLUTs) and all mammalian cells contain one or more members of this GLUT protein family. Among these transporters the GLUT3 and GLUT1 isoforms have been expressed in retinal cells [7,8]. Glucose uptake into cells can vary among cell types, and such differences might be important in determining which cells are adversely affected by hyperglycemia [7]
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