Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of ethanolic extract of seeds of Linum usitatissimum (EELU) in hyperglycemia associated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) and pancreatic antioxidant enzymes in alloxan induced diabetic rat. Methods: Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by alloxan (120 mg/kg, i.p. ). After acute and subacute treatment serum glucose was determined. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in EELU pretreated animals. ROS production in PBMNCs and pancreatic antioxidant enzymes were measured in alloxan induced diabetic rat. Results: Our results showed that, treatment of EELU (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced serum glucose level in acute and subacute study. The antihyperglycaemic effects of EELU showed onset at 4th h (P<0.001) and peak effect at 6th h (P<0.001). The effect was sustained until 24th h with 400 mg/kg. In subacute study, significant antihyperglycaemic effect was observed from 14th day (P<0.001) onwards. In EELU treated rat the body weight was significantly (P<0.001) increased as compared to diabetic group on 21st day onwards. In OGTT, increased glucose utilization was observed. Treatment of EELU 400 mg/kg showed significant reversal in pancreatic GSH (P<0.01) and SOD (P<0.05) indicating antioxidant nature of EELU. Flow cytometric estimation of total ROS production in PBMNCs in diabetic rats was significantly increased (P<0.001), whereas EELU treatment showed significant (P<0.001) decrease in PBMNCs ROS. Conclusions: It is concluded from the investigation that EELU showed antihyperglycaemic effect mediated through inhibition of ROS level in PBMNCs and preservation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes in pancreatic tissue in alloxan induced diabetic rat.

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