title: Antioxidant activity and protection of pancreatic β-cells by embelin in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of embelin in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetes was induced in rats fasted overnight by the administration of a single dose of streptozotocin, and analyzed for blood, serum, and biological and histological pancreatic tissue parameters in intact control, diabetic, and embelin-treated diabetic rats (n = 9) at the dose levels of 15, 25, and 30 mg/kg/day for 21 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetes caused highly significant abnormalities in blood, serum, and pancreatic tissue biochemical parameters. Embelin and glibenclamide administration to diabetic rats caused a highly significant decline in the blood glycated hemoglobin and serum glucose levels and nitric oxide activity, with a concomitant increase in the serum insulin level (P < 0.001). Furthermore, embelin and glibenclamide treatment increased the pancreatic antioxidant enzyme status (superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and ascorbic acid), and also decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive oxygen species contents (P < 0.001). The histoarchitecture of the diabetic rats typically showed a degenerated pancreas with reduced β-cell counts, while embelin treatment was shown to significantly regenerate islet cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study proves the potent antioxidant activity of embelin, which has been found to be effective in managing severe hyperglycemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India. rajnish_gupta1985@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rajnish
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Mahesh C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Radhey S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013311:Streptozocin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D016227:Benzoquinones; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002374:Catalase; D005978:Glutathione; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005905:Glyburide; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013311:Streptozocin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C010945:embelin