title: Antidiabetic effect of flax and pumpkin seed mixture powder: effect on hyperlipidemia and antioxidant status in alloxan diabetic rats.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. This study aims to examine the effects of flax and pumpkin powder seed mixture on alloxan induced diabetes in Wistar rats. Animals were allocated into three groups of six rats each: a control group (CD), diabetic group (DD) and diabetic rats fed with flax and pumpkin seed mixture (DMS) group. The diabetic rats (DD) presented a significant increase in glycemia, plasma and liver lipid parameters such as total lipid, total cholesterol and triglycerides compared to the control group (CD). In addition, plasma and liver malonaldialdehyde levels (MDA, an index of lipid peroxidation) significantly increased compared to (CD). Antioxidant enzymes activities such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels significantly decreased in the plasma and liver of diabetic rats compared to controls. Diet supplemented with flax and pumpkin seed mixture in the DMS group ameliorated antioxidant enzymes activities and level of GSH in diabetic rats and significantly decreased MDA levels. The present study revealed a significant increase in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase on diabetic status, indicating considerable hepatocellular injury. The administration of flax and pumpkin seed mixture attenuated the increased levels of the plasma enzymes produced by the induction of diabetes and caused a subsequent recovery towards normalization comparable to the control group animals. Our results thus suggest that flax and pumpkin seed mixture supplemented to diet may be helpful in preventing diabetic complications in adult rats.
authors.affiliation: Animal Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, BP 1171, 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makni
authors.forename: Hamadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fetoui
authors.forename: Nabil K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Gargouri
authors.forename: El Mouldi
authors.initials: el M
authors.lastname: Garoui
authors.forename: Najiba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeghal
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D028464:Cucurbita; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D019597:Flax; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D000496:Alloxan; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D005978:Glutathione