Long-Term Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) Antioxidant Therapy Reduces Damage in the Cardiovascular System of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Cellular damage, lipid oxidation and the action of inflammatory cytokines are implicated in the evolution of vascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) hyperglycemia. In contrast, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a supplement with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aims to evaluate the overall effects of ALA supplementation by assessing its long-term systemic action on the vascular morphology of rats with induced diabetes. A total of 28 male rats were divided into 4 groups with seven animals each. For diabetes induction, two groups received streptozotocin. The animals in the lipoic and diabetic lipoic groups received ALA supplement. After 8 weeks the animals were anesthetized and blood collected was for hematological, biochemical and serological analyses. The thoracic aorta was removed, processed for paraffin and histological sections were stained for morphometric analysis. In diabetic groups, an improvement in hematological profile was observed, with platelet reduction in the diabetic lipoic group. ALA addition to the diet attenuated the negative effects in lipid profile; moreover, renal, hepatic and inflammatory parameters reduced or displayed values close to the values of the normal control. The anti-inflammatory effect of ALA was observed in diabetic animals, with a reduction of inflammatory citokines, accompanied by the improvement of morphological parameters in the aorta. In conclusion, long-term supplementation with ALA promoted systemic improvement, thus reducing the risk of vascular diseases. The changes in the renal and hepatic parameters without any negative impact in the hematological profile also show that ALA can be indicated as a low-risk prophylaxis or complementary therapy.

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) consumption improves hepatic and renal parameters in alloxan-induced diabetic rats / El consumo de guaraná (Paullinia cupana) mejora los parámetros hepáticos y renales en ratas diabéticas inducidas por aloxano

INTRODUCTION: diabetes mellitus is considered a chronic disease, characterized by the presence of high glycemic concentrations and dyslipidemia or hyperlipidemia caused by absence or deficiency of insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells. Micro and macrovascular complications may lead to nephropathy. Diabetic syndrome and oxidative damage are strongly related. The guarana plant (Paullinia cupana) has been described as an antioxidant agent. OBJECTIVE: this study aims to evaluate the protective action of the guarana compound on the biochemical profile of alloxan-induced diabetes in rats. METHOD: twenty-eight male Wistar Furth rats were divided into four groups of seven animals each: the control group (CG) was fed a standard diet; the guarana group (GG) was fed a standard diet supplemented with guarana; the diabetic group (DG) included alloxan-induced diabetic rats fed a standard diet; and the diabetic guarana group (DGG) included alloxan-induced diabetic rats fed a standard diet supplemented with guarana. Induction was performed by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan 150 mg/kg. RESULTS: LDL (CG: 24.64 ± 2,59; GG: 38.93 ± 7.19; DG: 14.9 ± 3.96; DGG: 20.8 ± 4.04 mg/dL); HDL (CG: 14.8 ± 4.86; GG: 13 ± 1.41; DG: 22.5 ± 7.81; DGG: 30.66 ± 9.02 mg/dL); ALT (CG: 31.8 ± 4.81; GG: 22.16 ± 1.83; DG: 38 ± 1.4; DGG: 26.83 ± 2.13 U/L); AST (CG: 101.8 ± 5.07; GG: 117.5 ± 9.73; DG: 183.6 ± 4.21; DGG: 116.16 ± 12 U/L); urea (CG: 51.4 ± 5.03; GG: 42.5 ± 8.24; DG: 129.16 ± 31.72; DGG: 150.5 ± 36.02 mg/dL); creatinine (CG: 0.6 ± 0.12; GG: 0.53 ± 0.05; DG: 0.78 ± 0.11; DGG: 0.61 ± 0.07 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: consumption of guarana (Paullinia cupana) by male Wistar Furth rats with alloxan induced diabetes without treatment had a beneficial effect on hepatic and renal function parameters, and raises the possibility of being used as supportive therapy in the treatment of diabetes

INTRODUCCIÓN: la diabetes mellitus (DM) se considera una enfermedad crónica caracterizada por la presencia de altas concentraciones glucémicas, dislipidemia o hiperlipidemia causadas por ausencia o deficiencia de la secreción de insulina por las células β del páncreas. Sus complicaciones micro y macrovasculares pueden llevar a un cuadro de nefropatía. El síndrome diabético y el daño oxidativo están fuertemente relacionados. El guaraná (Paullinia cupana) se ha venido describiendo como un agente antioxidante. OBJETIVO: este estudio tiene el objetivo de evaluar la posible acción protectora de este compuesto sobre el perfil bioquímico de ratas con diabetes inducida por aloxano. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: veintiocho ratas macho Wistar Furth se dividieron en cuatro grupos de siete animales cada uno: el grupo de control (CG) se alimentó con la dieta estándar; el grupo de guaraná (GG) se alimentó con la dieta estándar complementada con guaraná; el grupo diabético (DG) se formó con ratas con diabetes inducida por aloxano que se alimentaron con la dieta estándar; el grupo diabético con guaraná (DGG) se formó con ratas con diabetes inducida por aloxano que se alimentaron con la dieta estándar complementada con guaraná. La inducción se realizó a través de una inyección intraperitoneal de aloxano en dosis de 150 mg/kg. RESULTADOS: LDL (CG: 24,64 ± 2,59; GG: 38,93 ± 7,19; DG: 14,9 ± 3,96; DGG: 20,8 ± 4,04 mg/dl); HDL (CG: 14,8 ± 4,86; GG: 13 ± 1,41; DG: 22,5 ± 7,81; DGG: 30,66 ± 9,02 mg/dl); ALT (CG: 31,8 ± 4,81; GG: 22,16 ± 1,83; DG: 38 ± 1,4; DGG: 26,83 ± 2,13 U/L); AST (CG: 101,8 ± 5,07; GG: 117,5 ± 9,73; DG: 183,6 ± 4,21; DGG: 116,16 ± 12 U/L); urea (CG: 51,4 ± 5,03; GG: 42,5 ± 8,24; DG: 129,16 ± 31,72; DGG: 150,5 ± 36,02 mg/dl); creatinina (CG: 0,6 ± 0,12; GG: 0,53 ± 0,05; DG: 0,78 ± 0,11; DGG: 0,61 ± 0,07 mg/dl). CONCLUSIÓN: el consumo de guaraná (Paullinia cupana) por ratas Wistar con diabetes inducida por aloxano y sin tratamiento actuó de forma beneficiosa sobre los parámetros hepáticos y de función renal, planteando la posibilidad de poder ser utilizado como terapia de soporte en el tratamiento de la diabetes