Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: This study was planned to examine the effect of galangin on hyperglycemia mediated oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal administration of low dose of STZ (40 mg/kg body weight (BW)) into male albino Wistar rats. Galangin (8 mg/kg BW) or glibenclamide (600 μg/kg BW) was given orally daily once for 45 days to normal and STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Results: Diabetic rats showed significantly increased levels of plasma glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), and conjugated dienes (CD). The levels of insulin, non-enzymic antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, reduced glutathione (GSH)) and the activity of enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)) were decreased significantly in diabetic control rats. These altered plasma glucose, insulin, lipid peroxidation products, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants ions were reverted to near normal level after the administration of galangin and glibenclamide.

Conclusion: The present study shows that galangin decreased oxidative stress and increased antioxidant status in diabetic rats, which in turn may be due to its antidiabetic and antioxidant potential.