Changes in pancreatic histology, insulin secretion and oxidative status in diabetic rats following treatment with Ficus deltoidea and vitexin

Abstract

BackgroundThe potential application of Ficus deltoidea and vitexin for the management of symptomatologies associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) has gained much attention. However, less firm evidence comes from data to augment our understanding of the role of F. deltoidea and vitexin in protecting pancreatic β-cells. The aim of this study was to assess histological and oxidative stress changes in the pancreas of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats following F. deltoidea extract and vitexin treatment.Methods F. deltoidea and vitexin was administrated orally to six-weeks STZ-induced diabetic rats over 8 weeks period. The glucose and insulin tolerances were assessed by intraperitoneal glucose (2 g/kg) tolerance test (IPGTT) and intraperitoneal insulin (0.65 U/kg) tolerance test (IPITT), respectively. Subsequently, insulin resistance was assessed by homeostasis assessment model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and the insulin/triglyceride-derived McAuley index. The histological changes in the pancreas were then observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Further, the pattern of fatty acid composition and infrared (IR) spectra of the serum and pancreas were monitored by gas chromatography (GC) method and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.Results F. deltoidea and vitexin increased pancreatic antioxidant enzymes and promoted islet regeneration. However, a significant increase in insulin secretion was observed only in rats treated with F. deltoidea. More importantly, reduction of fasting blood glucose is consistent with reduced FT-IR peaks at 1200-1000 cm−1.ConclusionsThese results accentuate that F. deltoidea and vitexin could be a potential agent to attenuate pancreatic oxidative damage and advocate their therapeutic potential for treating DM.

Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Stalk and Leaf Supplementation Improves Glucose Homeostasis and Insulin Resistance Markers in Liver of Mice Exposed to a High-Fat Diet

“…Vitexin-2-O-rhamnoside-related compounds, as demonstrated in previous studies [25][26][27][35][36][37][38][39], have been shown to reduce in ammation and promote bene cial effects against many disorders caused by HFD, including the improvement of glucose homeostasis, HOMA-IR, plasma insulin and hepatic lipid metabolism, and a signi cant decrease in hepatic PEPCK and G6Pase activity in HFD-fed mice [35,[40][41][42][43]. It is important to mention that the dose of bioactive compounds, like vitexin derivatives, used in our study may be insu cient for suppressing body weight gain and body fat accumulation (data not shown).…”

Effect of concomitant therapy of anti-diabetics and hypolipidemics on biochemical and histological parameters in animal models

“…These findings from the present study were supported by Adhikari et al, where pathological changes were seen in the pancreas of diabetic rats . A study in Malaysia also reported loss of beta cells in pancreas of diabetic rats (Nurdiana et al, 2017).…”

Differential proteomic profiling identifies novel molecular targets of pterostilbene against experimental diabetes

“…Diabetes is a complex metabolic disorder involving many cell signaling pathways that are involved in the development/progression of disease condition. Chronic hyperglycemia causes increased production of free radicals in β-cells, which induces cell death and decreased insulin secretion (Nurdiana et al, 2017;Richens, Tungekar, & Behbehani, 1988 secrete insulin. In diabetic animals, the insulin-producing pancreatic islets showed severe vacuolation, reduced islet mass, and decreased islet cell density.…”