Antidiabetic effects of chitosan oligosaccharides in neonatal streptozotocin-induced noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in rats.
The antidiabetic effect of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) was investigated in neonatal streptozotocin (STZ)-induced noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus rats. The fasting glucose level was reduced by about 19% in diabetic rats after treatment with 0.3% COS. Glucose tolerance was lower in the diabetic group compared with the normal group. After diabetic rats had been treated with 0.3% COS for 4 weeks, glucose tolerance increased significantly versus the diabetic control group, and glucose-inducible insulin expression increased significantly. In addition, fed-triglyceride (TG) levels in diabetic rats drinking 0.3% COS were reduced by 49% compared with those in diabetic control rats. The cholesterol levels of animals treated with COS were reduced by about 10% in fed or fasting conditions versus the corresponding controls, although the difference was not statistically significant. It was found that COS has a TG-lowering effect in diabetic rats, and that COS reduces signs of diabetic cardiomyopathy such as vacuolation of mitochondria and the separation and degeneration of myofibrils. In conclusion, these results indicate that COS can be used as an antidiabetic agent because it increases glucose tolerance and insulin secretion and decreases TG.
Lee
Hyean-Woo
HW
Department of Biochemistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea.
Park
Yoon-Sun
YS
Choi
Jong-Whan
JW
Yi
Sang-Yeop
SY
Shin
Woon-Seob
WS
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048271:Chitosan; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan