Trichoderma harzianum fungus as an anti-diabetic protein

ABSTRACT

High protein product of Trichoderma harzianum fungus was tested as an antidiabetic protein. It caused decrease in blood glucose level of alloxan diabetic rats from 170.7 +/- 7.9 to 160.1 +/- 6.9 mg/100 ml blood after 24 hours, when orally administered at 200 mg/100 g body weight. Further improvements were detected after increasing the dose to 400 mg. The blood glucose level decreased below 150 mg/100 ml. Similar decrease in blood glucose level was observed after 48 hours from administration of 200 mg fungal protein. The glucose level in blood decreased from 214.7 +/- 10.3 to 202.4 +/- 3.9 mg/100 ml. The increase of fungal product to 400 mg decreased blood glucose level below 187.6 +/- 7.3 mg/100 ml. Yeast protein product was also used for comparison with fungal protein. The administration of 400 mg to diabetic rats decreased the blood glucose level from 170.7 +/- 7.9 to 145.4 +/- 5.2 after 24 hours and from 214.7 +/- 10.3 to 154.3 +/- 8.6 after 48 hours. The deplated glutathion in diabetic rats [7 +/- 1.0 mg/100 ml] after 2 hours of administration was regenerated gradually by both fungal and yeast protein products till it reached the approximate normal level after 24 and 48 hours