ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease and one of the oldest known disorders. It is characterized by dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance (IR), and pancreatic cell dysfunction. Although different drugs, metformin (MET), glipizide, glimepiride, etc., have been introduced to treat type 2 DM (T2DM), these drugs are not without side effects. Scientists are now seeking natural treatments such as lifestyle modification and organic products known with limited side effects. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were randomized into six groups (n = 6 per group): control, DM untreated rats, DM+orange peel extract (OPE), DM+exercise (EX), DM+OPE +EX, and DM+MET. The administration was once daily through the oral route and lasted for 28 days. EX and OPE synergistically ameliorated the diabetic-induced increase in fasting blood sugar, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA IR), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG), TC/high-density lipoprotein (HDL), TG/HDL, triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, and hepatic lactate dehydrogenase, alanine transaminase, malondialdehyde, c-reactive protein, and tumour necrosis factor α when compared with the diabetic untreated group. Also, EX+OPE blunted DM-induced decrease in serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA-B), homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity (HOMA S), quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICK 1), HDL, total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and hepatic glycogen. Furthermore, EX+OPE ameliorated the observed DM-induced decrease in glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT 4), expression. This study showed that OPE and EX synergistically ameliorate T2DM-induced dysglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, and down-regulation of GLUT4 expression.
