Oxidative stress in diabetic rat kidney: protective effect of yacon leaves

SERRA BARCELLONA C.; GENTA S.B.; SANCHEZ S.S.

Tafi del Valle, Tucumán

Jornada; XXVIII Jornadas Científicas Asociación de Biología de Tucumán Tafí del Valle, Tucumán; 2011

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

Diabetes mellitus is a wide-spread disease characterized by high blood glucose levels which, in turn, induce damages to cell membranes and generate reactive oxygen species. Diabetic complications are known to be largely related to the oxidative stress. Smallanthus sonchifolius [Poepp. & Endl.] H. Robinson or yacon is a native specie of South America. In recent work we have demonstrated that leaves decoction was effective to reduce postprandial glucose and useful in the treatment of diabetic animals. The present study was undertaken in STZ-diabetic rats to evaluate the potential antioxidative activity of the yacon leaves. The decoction was given for 30 days at a daily dose of 140 mg/kg of b.w. Lipids peroxidation level and activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced gluthathione (GSH) was measured in kidney homogenates. The result show that SOD, CAT, GST and MDA were significant decreased in kidney of treated rats. Also, the levels of GPx and GSH increase significant in this tissues. The present study shows that yacon leaves modulates the activities of antioxidants and lipid peroxidation throught the management of oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. In conclusion, the present study indicates that yacon leaves could be used with some profit in diabetic patients.