title: Lectin from Crataeva tapia Bark Improves Tissue Damages and Plasma Hyperglycemia in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Mice.
abstract: Crataeva tapia is a plant popularly used for diabetes treatment, in Brazil. Progressive decline in renal and hepatic functions has been described in patients with diabetes mellitus, and mortality rate is increased in patients with chronic liver and renal disease. This study aimed to evaluate whether Crataeva tapia bark lectin (CrataBL) improves hyperglycemia and renal and hepatic damage in diabetic mice. CrataBL was purified by ion exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose, and intraperitoneal administration of CrataBL to alloxan-induced diabetic mice at dose of 10 mg/Kg/day and 20 mg/Kg/day for 10 days significantly reduced serum glucose levels by 14.9% and 55.9%, respectively. Serum urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase were also significantly reduced after treatment with both doses of CrataBL. Furthermore, histological analysis of liver, kidney, and pancreas revealed an improvement in the tissue morphology upon treatment with CrataBL. The results suggest that CrataBL has a beneficial hypoglycemic activity and improves the renal and hepatic complications of diabetes. Therefore, this lectin may be a promising agent for the treatment of diabetes, and this might be the basis for its use in the folk medicine as an alternative treatment to manage diabetes-related complications such as hyperglycemia and tissue damage.
authors: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Avenida Professor Moraes Rego S/N, 50670-420 Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors: Amanda Alves
authors: AA
authors: da Rocha
authors: Tiago Ferreira da Silva
authors: TF
authors: Araújo
authors: Caíque Silveira Martins
authors: CS
authors: da Fonseca
authors: Diógenes Luís
authors: DL
authors: da Mota
authors: Paloma Lys
authors: PL
authors: de Medeiros
authors: Patrícia Maria Guedes
authors: PM
authors: Paiva
authors: Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso
authors: LC
authors: Coelho
authors: Maria Tereza Dos Santos
authors: MT
authors: Correia
authors: Vera Lúcia de Menezes
authors: VL
authors: Lima