Yacon roots (Smallanthus sonchifolius) improve oxidative stress in diabetic rats

HABIB N.C.; SERRA BARCELLONA C.; HONORE S.M.; SANCHEZ S.S.; GENTA S.B.

PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY

TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2015 vol. 53 p. 1183 - 1193

1388-0209

Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. and Endl.) H.Robinson, Asteraceae (yacon) roots are anatural product recognized by the traditional medicine to treat diabetes-related problems.There are no reports concerning the potential of yacon roots to reduce oxidative stress andameliorate diabetes complications in diabetic animals.Objective: This work analyzes the in vivo antioxidant activity and beneficial effects of yaconroots, using a model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.Materials and methods: Lipid peroxidation and other indicators of oxidative stress weredetermined in liver and kidney homogenates from non-diabetic rats, untreated diabetic rats,and diabetic rats treated orally with yacon flour (340mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a dietsupplement for 90 d. Biochemical parameters were determined in liver, kidney, and blood at theend of the experimental period.Results: Yacon supplementation to diabetic rats produced a significant decrease inmalondialdehyde levels in both liver (30.97%) and kidney (19.15%). Hepatic superoxidedismutase and catalase activities were significantly lower in diabetic-treated rats ( 13.46 and 64.33%, respectively) compared with diabetic controls. Similar results were observed inkidney. The treatment of diabetic rats produced an increase of glutathione peroxidase andglutathione levels in liver (172.50 and 35.91%, respectively) and kidney (177.78 and 57.76%,respectively). Plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels and liver fatty acid composition,which were altered in diabetic rats, reverted back to nearly normal with yacon treatment.Conclusions: These results indicate that yacon root flour is a potential diet supplement with ahigh in vivo antioxidant activity.