An extract from date seeds stimulates endogenous insulin secretion in streptozotocin-induced type I diabetic rats

Authors

  • Ahmed F. El Fouhil Department of Anatomy Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh
  • Aly M. Ahmed Department of Anatomy Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh
  • Muhammad Atteya Department of Anatomy Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh
  • Raeesa A. Mohamed Department of Anatomy Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh
  • Amr S. Moustafa Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh
  • Hasem H. Darwish Department of Anatomy Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v3i11.33

Abstract

Background: The efficacy of an extract from date seeds has been tested successfully on the glycemic control of type I diabetes mellitus in rats. A suggestion that date seed extract could stimulate certain cells to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells has been proposed. In order to investigate such a possibility, this study was conducted to measure C-peptide levels in the serum of type 1 diabetic rats treated with date seed extract.

Methods: Two hundred rats were divided into 4 groups. Group I served as the control. Group II was given daily ingestions of 10 ml of date seed extract. Groups III and IV were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 3 IU/day of insulin for 8 weeks. Group IV received, in addition, daily ingestions of 10 ml of seed extract. At the end of experiment, blood samples were collected from each rat, and blood glucose and serum C-peptide levels were measured.

Results: No significant differences in the means of blood glucose and serum C-peptide levels were observed between groups I (control group) and II (date seed extract-treated control group). Group IV (date seed extract-insulin-treated diabetic group) showed a statistically significant reduction in the mean blood glucose level compared to Group III (insulin-treated diabetic group). The mean serum C-peptide level was significantly higher in group IV compared to group III.

Conclusion: Biochemical results suggested an increase in endogenous insulin secretion in the case of type 1 diabetic rats treated with date seed extract, which might be the cause of its hypoglycemic effect.

Keywords: Date seed extract; type 1 diabetes; serum C-peptide

Downloads

Published

2013-11-23

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 11 (2013): November 2013

Section

Research Articles

License

Any manuscripts or substantial parts of it, submitted to the journal must not be under consideration by or previously published in any other journal or citable form. Authors are required to ensure that no material submitted as part of a manuscript infringes existing copyrights or the rights of a third party. In submitting one's article in any form, the author has assigned the FFC publishing rights and has agreed to an automatic transfer of the copyright to the publisher. This is so that the FFC may create print option journals, for example, at the FFC’s discretion. If the author wishes to distribute their works by means outside of the FFC, for example within their community, they will have to place a request. 

 

Correspondence concerning articles published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease is encouraged. While derivative works (adaptations, extensions on the current work, etc.) are allowed, distribution of the modified material is not allowed without permission from the FFC.