Protective effects of allicin on islet tissue in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin / 国际药学研究杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the prote ctive effects of allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate) on islet tissue in diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Methods A hundred diabetic rat models induced by intraperitoneal injecting STZ were randomly devided into five groupsdiabetic model control group, allicin(5,10 and 20 mg/kg) treated groups and metformin hydrochloride 200 mg/kg treated group. Another 20 same-aged rats were used as normal group. Each week before and after the drug was given, the levels of blood sugar and insulin were determined. Four weeks later, the histopathological changes in pancreatic tissue and islet cells apoptosis were observed, and the apoptosis index (AI) was analyzed; the level of T-AOC and the content of MDA in serum were determined; the activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT in pancreatic tissue were also determined. Results Compared with the diabetic model control group, the levels of insulin in allicin 10, 20 mg/kg treated groups were significantly increased and the blood sugar level was significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01); the pancreatic tissue histopathological changes and islet cells apoptosis were obviously improved, the AI was significantly decreased (P<0.01); the content of MDA in serum was significantly decreased; the activities of SOD and CAT in pancreatic tissue were significantly increased(P<0.05, P<0.01). The level of T-AOC in allicin 20 mg/kg treated group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the activity of GSH-PX in pancreatic tissue was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with Metformin hydrochloride 200 mg/kg treated group, the level of insulin in allicin 20 mg/kg treated groups was significantly increased (P<0.05), the level of T-AOC in serum was significantly increased (P<0.05), the activity of SOD, GSH-Px,CAT in pancreatic tissue were also significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion Allicin could effectively improve insulin secretion, lower blood sugar, depress the pancreatic tissue histopathological changes and islet cells apoptosis, suggesting that allicin has dose-dependent protective effects on islet tissue in diabetic rats induced by STZ, which is perhaps related to its effects of improving antioxidant ability and inhibiting the oxidative stress.