Abstract
Changes in the structural and functional properties of collagen caused by advanced glycation might be of importance for the etiology of late complications in diabetes. The present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of oral administration of aqueous pod extract (200 mg/kg body weight) of Phaseolus vulgaris, an indigenous plant used in Ayurvedic Medicine in India, on collagen content and characteristics in the tail tendon of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In diabetic rats, collagen content (117.01 6.84 mg/100 mg tissue) as well as its degree of cross-linking was increased, as shown by increased extent of glycation (21.70 0.90 g glucose/mg collagen), collagen-linked fluorescence (52.8 3.0 AU/ mol hydroxyproline), shrinkage temperature (71.50 2.50 C) and decreased acid (1.878 0.062 mg hydroxyproline/100 mg tissue) and pepsin solubility (1.77 0.080 mg hydroxyproline/100 mg tissue). The alpha/ ratio of acid- (1.69) and pepsin-soluble (2.00) collagen was significantly decreased in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Administration of P. vulgaris for 45 days to streptozotocin-diabetic rats significantly reduced the accumulation and cross-linking of collagen. The effect of P. vulgaris was compared with that of glibenclamide, a reference drug administered to streptozotocin-diabetic rats at the dose of 600 g/kg body weight for 45 days by gavage. The effects of P. vulgaris (collagen content, 64.18 1.97; extent of glycation, 12.00 0.53; collagen-linked fluorescence, 33.6 1.9; shrinkage temperature, 57.0 1.0; extent of cross-linking - acid-soluble collagen, 2.572 0.080, and pepsin-soluble collagen, 2.28 0.112) were comparable with those of glibenclamide (collagen content, 71.5 2.04; extent of glycation, 13.00 0.60; collagen-linked fluorescence, 38.9 2.0; shrinkage temperature, 59.0 1.5; extent of cross-linking - acid-soluble collagen, 2.463 0.078, and pepsin-soluble collagen, 2.17 0.104). In conclusion, administration of P. vulgaris pods had a positive influence on the content of collagen and its properties in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.
Highlights
Collagen is a major component of mammalian connective tissue and is present in all major tissues that require strength and flexibility such as skin, bone and tendon [1]
The administration of Phaseolus pod extract and glibenclamide to diabetic rats caused a significant decrease in blood glucose levels and a significant increase in plasma insulin
We determined the influence of an extract of P. vulgaris on collagen content and characteristics in diabetic rats
Summary
Collagen is a major component of mammalian connective tissue and is present in all major tissues that require strength and flexibility such as skin, bone and tendon [1]. After being secreted by the cells, assemble into characteristic fibers responsible for the functional integrity of tissues such as bone, cartilage, skin and tendon. They provide a structural framework for other tissues, such as blood vessels, aorta and most organs. Cross-links between adjacent molecules are a prerequisite for the collagen fibers to withstand the physical stresses to which they are exposed [3,4]
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