Abstract
Purpose: To determine the antioxidant and anti-diabetic potential of a natural flavonoid, caffeic acid in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.Methods: Experimental diabetes was induced in Wistar rats using streptozotocin injection. Caffeic acid was administered orally on daily basis for 5 weeks. A glucometer was used to monitor fasting blood glucose levels. Insulin levels were estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The antioxidant potential of caffeic acid was measured by determining the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) in rat liver. Standard assays were performed to determine the lipid profile of the rats. Histopathological analysis was performed to determine differences in microscopic structures of pancreas among the different treatment groups.Results: Caffeic acid administration resulted in significant enhancement of serum insulin level, and decrease in blood glucose level of diabetic rat models (p < 0.05). Caffeic acid exerted antioxidant effects by significantly increasing GSH levels and activities of CAT and SOD (p < 0.05). Histologicalexamination of the pancreas depicted normal islet morphology under caffeic acid administration in diabetic rats.Conclusion: These results reveal the antioxidant potential and anti-diabetic effect of caffeic acid in a diabetic rat model and point towards the potential applicability of caffeic acid in the management of diabetes mellitus.
 Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Streptozotocin, Caffeic acid, Phenolics, Anti-diabetic, Antioxidant
Highlights
Diabetes is one of prevalent human diseases across the globe [1]
Recent studies have shown that high incidence of diabetes mellitus has imposed tremendous concerns on human health across the globe
Researchers are actively involved in exploring possibilities of evolving various treatment strategies which can prove handy in the fight against diabetes
Summary
Diabetes is one of prevalent human diseases across the globe [1]. Excessive intake of carbohydrate and fat-rich diets has been shown to be responsible for the development of metabolic disturbances leading to the induction of diabetes mellitus in humans [2]. Rats with fasting glucose levels ≥ 240 mg/dL were taken as diabetic and were used in the study. Activities of SOD and CAT, and levels of GSH were determined using the following standard protocols: A reaction mixture consisting of phosphate buffer (25 mM, pH 7.8); EDTA (0.25 mM), quercetin (0.05 μM) and TEMED (0.8mM) was used to assay SOD activity by estimating the inhibition of quercetin oxidation at 406nm. Results of serum lipid profile determination in different animal groups showed that the concentrations of TGls, TChl and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were increased, whereas the concentration of HDL-C was decreased markedly in the diabetic group (group II), relative to the normal control group (Table 2). Microscopic examination of pancreatic sections from the diabetic control group (group II) revealed that the diabetic rats had decreased number of β-cells, indicating evidence of β-cells destruction (Figure 5 B). The islet structure was almost fully preserved in sections from groups III and IV (caffeic acid-treated groups), and there was hardly any pathological changes in their architecture (Figure 5 C and D)
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