title: Antidiabetic activity of levan polysaccharide in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: This study aims to examine the effects of polysaccharide levan on oxidative stress and hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Levan, used in this study, was a microbial levan synthetisized by a non pathogenic bacteria recently isolated and identified as Bacillus licheniformis. Animals were allocated into four groups of six rats each: a control group (Control), diabetic group (Diab.), normal rats received levan (L) and diabetic rats fed with levan (DL). Treated diabetic rats were administrated with levan in drinking water through oral gavage for 60 days. The administration of polysaccharide levan in diabetic rats caused a significant increase in glycogen level by 52% and a decrease in glucose level in plasma by 52%. Similarly, the administration of polysaccharide levan in diabetic rats caused a decrease in the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) by 31%, 41%, 39% and 25%, an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 40%, 50%, 44% and 34%, and in catalase (CAT) by 18%, 20%, 12% and 18% in liver, kidney, pancreas and heart, respectively. Furthermore, a significant decrease in hepatic and renal indices toxicity was observed, i.e. alkalines phosphatases (ALP), aspartate and lactate transaminases (AST and ALT) activities, total bilirubin, creatinine and urea levels by 19%, 31%, 32%, 36%, 37% and 23%, respectively. The results show that administration of polysaccharide levan can restore abnormal oxidative indice near normal levels. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that polysaccharide levan is efficient in inhibiting hyperglycemia and oxidative stress induced by diabetes and suggests that levan supplemented to diet may be helpful in preventing diabetic complications in adult rats.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia. imenbiologie@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Imen
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dahech
authors.forename: Karima Srih
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Belghith
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamden
authors.forename: Abdelfattah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feki
authors.forename: Hafedh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Belghith
authors.forename: Hafedh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mejdoub
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005630:Fructans / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005630:Fructans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014508:Urea; D006003:Glycogen; C072599:levan; D003404:Creatinine