Functional activities of neutrophils in diabetic rats are changed by yacon extracts

Abstract

Introduction. Characterization of the polymorphonuclear neutrophils functional activity during the diabetes is of outmost importance for the understanding of the immunological processes involved in disease pathogenesis. The search for effective drugs that would suppress and/or modulate the immune response, preferably without negative effects, is a promising area of modern research. Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. et Endl., which has long been used in folk medicine to treat diabetes, was proposed as a potential treatment for immune disorders. The study aimed to search for the effective drug which would be able to regulate neutrophils functional activity in experimentally induced type 1 diabetes mellitus. Material and methods. The experiments were conducted on male Wistar rats. Diabetes was induced by intraabdominal injection of streptozotocin. For the evaluation of phagocytic activity and the content of cationic proteins and myeloperoxidase in neutrophils cytochemical studies were performed. Results. Diabetes development was accompanied by reduced phagocytic activity of granulocytes and increased activity of myeloperoxidase. All used extracts intensified phagocytic activity of neutrophil in diabetes, with the yacon root tubers extract demonstrating the strongest effect, which was reflected by rapid degradation of particles engulfed by phagocytes. Conclusions. It was established that yacon extracts inhibit myeloperoxidase activity in diabetes. Therefore all investigated extracts have a pronounced immunocorrective effect and can become the basis for creating a new generation of antidiabetic drugs.