Dioscorea esculenta increase cytochrome c oxidase 1 expression and adenosine triphosphate in diabetic rats

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The low cytochrome c oxidase (COX)-1 activity was associated with reduction of adenosin triphosphate (ATP) production in diabetes mellitus (DM) individuals. Interestingly, the secondary metabolite of Dioscorea esculenta (lesser yam) fermentation in gut can increase ATP production. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lesser yam diet on ATP level and COX-1 expression in type 2 diabetic rats. METHODS: Thirty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: (1) normal rats (N), (2) diabetic rats (DM), (3) diabetic rats with lesser yam 200 mg/kg BW (DMT1), (4) diabetic rats with lesser yam 400 mg/kg BW (DMT2), (5) diabetic rats with lesser yam 800 mg/kg BW (DMT3). The diabetic rats were induced by nicotinamide and streptozotocin and had plasma glucose more than 126 mg/dL. ATP was measured before and after 4 weeks of intervention. COX-1-was determined at skeletal muscle, heart, liver, brown adipose tissue and kidney after intervention using immuno-histochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: Fasting blood glucose was reduced in all intervention groups compared to DM group (p = 0.016). ATP level was significantly increased in DMT1 group and slightly higher in DMT2 and DMT3 compared with the negative control (p > 0.05). After the intervention, COX-1 protein expression was higher in kidney, liver and skeletal muscle in diabetic rats received lesser yam compared to DM group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study we found that lesser yam reduced fasting blood glucose, increase plasma ATP and expression of COX-1 protein.