Title: Biochemical Evaluation of Dietary Onion as a Hypoglycemic Agent in Rats

Author: El-Khedr Mohamed Mostafa El-gamal

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i1.135

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is one of the serious global health problems affecting a significant proportion of both developed and developing countries. Overproduction of free radicals and oxidative stress has been associated with the development of diabetic complications. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of onion (Allium cepa) juice on biochemical parameters, enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Alloxan (130 mg/kg BW) was administered as a single dose to induce diabetes. Three (3) groups of rats (n = 8) were used; group 1 was normal control while group 2 wasused as diabetic test group and group 3 was  diabetic group that received A dose of 1ml of onion  juice /100g body weight (equivalent to 0.4 g/100 g BW) was orally administered daily to alloxan-diabetic rats for four weeks. The levels of glucose, urea, creatinine and bilirubin were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in plasma of alloxan-diabetic rats compared to the control group. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),  alkaline and acid phosphatases (AlP, AcP) activities were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in plasma and testes of alloxan-diabetic rats, while these activities were decreased in liver compared with the control group. Brain LDH was significantly (p < 0.05) increased. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and the activity of glutathione S-transferase in plasma, liver, testes, brain, and kidney were increased in alloxan diabetic rats. Treatment of the diabetic rats with repeated doses of onion juice could restore the changes of the above parameters to their normal levels. The present results showed that  onion juice exerted antioxidant and antihyperglycemic effects and consequently may alleviate liver and renal damage caused by alloxan-induced diabetes.

Keywords: Rats; Alloxan; Onion; Biochemical parameters; Enzymes; Lipid peroxidation.

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Corresponding Author

El-Khedr Mohamed Mostafa El-gamal

Dept of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Arts at Baljurashi,

Al-Baha University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia