Improvement of Insulin Secretion and Pancreatic β‑cell Function in Streptozotocin‑induced Diabetic Rats Treated with Aloe vera Extract
Ayesha Noor1★, S. Gunasekaran2,3, M. A. Vijayalakshmi1★ Corresponding author
- 1Centre for Bio Separation Technology, VIT University, INDIA.
- 2Department of Physiology, Christian Medical College, INDIA.
- 3Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.
CORRESPONDENCE
Ayesha Noor
Centre for Bio Separation Technology, VIT University, INDIA.
Volume 9, Issue 5S · pp. s99–s104 · PUBLISHED · DOI: 10.4103/pr.pr_75_17
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ABSTRACT
Background:Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Plant extracts and their products are being used as an alternative system of medicine for the treatment of diabetes. Aloe verahas been traditionally used to treat several diseases and it exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects. Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced Wistar diabetic rats were used in this study to understand the potential protective effect of A. vera extract on the pancreatic islets. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the A. veraextract on improvement of insulin secretion and pancreatic β-cell function by morphometric analysis of pancreatic islets in STZ-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: After acclimatization, male Wistar rats, maintained as per the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals guidelines, were randomly divided into four groups of six rats each. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels were assessed. The effect of A. veraextract in STZ-induced diabetic rats on the pancreatic islets by morphometric analysis was evaluated. Results: Oral administration of A. veraextract (300 mg/kg) daily to diabetic rats for 3 weeks showed restoration of blood glucose levels to normal levels with a concomitant increase in insulin levels upon feeding with A. veraextract in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Morphometric analysis of pancreatic sections revealed quantitative and qualitative gain in terms of number, diameter, volume, and area of the pancreatic islets of diabetic rats treated with A. veraextract when compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Conclusion:A. vera extract exerts antidiabetic effects by improving insulin secretion and pancreatic β-cell function by restoring pancreatic islet mass in STZ-induced diabetic Wistar rats.
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Noor, A., Gunasekaran, S., & Vijayalakshmi, M. A. (). Improvement of Insulin Secretion and Pancreatic β‑cell Function in Streptozotocin‑induced Diabetic Rats Treated with Aloe vera Extract. Pharmacognosy Research, 9(5S), s99–s104. https://doi.org/10.4103/pr.pr_75_17