The present study investigated the effect of supplementation of vitamin E on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by measuring blood glucose, changes in body weight, food and water intake, lipid profile, serum urea and creatinine level, and antioxidant enzyme activity. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control rats (GI); rats receiving vitamin E (GII); STZ-induced diabetic rats (GIII) and STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with vitamin E (GIV). Vitamin E reduced (p<0.05) blood glucose and urea, improved the lipid profile (decreased the serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol and triacylglycerols, and increased HDL cholesterol) and increased total protein in STZ-induced diabetic rats (GIV). Vitamin prevented changes in the activity of SOD and GSH-Px and in the concentration of lipid hydroperoxide. These results suggested that vitamin E improved hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia while inhibiting the progression of oxidative stress in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Dentre as numerosas terapias para minimizar as complicações diabéticas, os antioxidantes e flavonoides são testados na clínica médica. Foi analisado o efeito da naringerina sobre os parâmetros bioquímicos em ratos diabéticos induzidos por estreptozotocina (STZ - 60mg/kg, i.p.). Ratos machos foram divididos em 4 grupos: G1: controle não tratado; G2: ratos normais que receberam naringerina; G3: diabéticos não tratados; G4: ratos diabéticos que receberam naringerina. Naringerina (50mg/kg, i.p.), decresceu a hiperglicemia e a hiperlipidemia em ratos diabéticos. A concentração sérica de insulina em ratos tratados tendeu aumentar. A naringerina preveniu as alterações, provocadas pela estreptozotocina, na atividade hepática e cardíaca de ALT, AST e LDH, indicando o efeito protetor da naringerina sobre estes tecidos, contra toxicidade provocada pela STZ. O nível de glicogênio nos tecidos cardíaco e hepático elevou com a naringerina em ratos diabéticos. A naringerina melhorou o metabolismo da glicose e de lipídios e preveniu as complicações diabéticas.

Amongst the numerous co-adjuvant therapies which could influence the incidence and progression of diabetic complications, antioxidants and flavonoids are currently being tested in clinical trials. We investigated the effect of naringerin on biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced (STZ - 60 mg/kg, i.p.) diabetic rats. Male rats were divided into four groups: G1: untreated controls; G2: normal rats receiving naringerin; G3: untreated diabetics; G4: diabetics rats receiving naringerin. The naringerin (50mg/kg, i.p,) decreased the hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia associated with STZ-diabetes. The concentrations of serum insulin in treated diabetic rats tended to be increased. Naringerin treatment prevents STZ-induced changes in the activities of ALT, AST and LDH in the liver and heart, indicating the protective effect of naringerin against the hepatic and cardiac toxicity caused by STZ. The glycogen level in cardiac and hepatic tissues elevated with naringerin in diabetic rats. The naringerin can improve the glucose and lipid metabolism and is beneficial in preventing diabetic complications.

O estresse oxidativo está freqüentemente associado com alterações nas concentrações séricas de glicose e lipídios. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se as alterações bioquímicas séricas, induzidas pela suplementação nutricional com o flavonóide rutina, estão associadas a propriedades antioxidantes. A administração de rutina (120mg/kg/semana), durante 15 dias, não induziu variação na glicemia de jejum e no teste de tolerância à glicose. Embora não tenham sido observadas mudanças significativas nas concentrações séricas de lipoperóxidos, triacilglicerois, colesterol-LDL e proteínas totais, a suplementação nutricional com rutina demonstrou importante papel na prevenção da aterosclerose, pois induziu elevação significativa da lipoproteína de alta densidade (colesterol-HDL de 35,82 ± 2,31mg/dL para 44,40 ± 3,11mg/dL). Como não foram observadas alterações na glutationa peroxidase, enquanto as atividades da superóxido dismutase foram elevadas pela ingestão de rutina. Pode-se concluir que os efeitos antioxidantes deste flavonoide, aumentando a concentração de colesterol-HDL, estão relacionados à elevação nas atividades da superóxido dismutase. A ação antioxidante da rutina pode estar relacionada à destruição do radical superóxido (O2-).

The oxidative stress is frequently related to alterations in serum glucose and lipids concentrations. The aim of this study was to verify if antioxidant properties are associated with the serum biochemical alterations, induced by dietary supplementation with the flavonoid rutin (60 mg/kg/week) during 15 days. No changes were observed in fasting blood glucose and glucose tolerance test and in triacylglycerols, LDL cholesterol, total proteins and lipoperoxides concentrations, through dietary supplementation with rutin. However, rutin showed an important effect on atherosclerosis prevention, since it increased significantly the HDL cholesterol concentrations (from 44.40 ± 3.11mg/dL to 35.82 ± 2.31mg/dL). As no alterations were observed in glutathione peroxidase, while superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased by rutin intake, it was concluded that the antioxidant effects of this flavonoid, increasing HDL cholesterol concentrations, are associated with an increased superoxide dismutase activity. The antioxidant properties of rutin may be associated with superoxide radical (O2-) destruction.