Effect of Ruta chalepensis on Zinc, Lipid Profile and Antioxidant Levels in the Blood and Tissue of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats Fed Zinc-Deficient Diets.

OBJECTIVES: In diabetes, oxidative stress and lipid abnormalities are common and pronounced and represent important factors that are involved in the development of complications of diabetes. Zinc deficiency generally induces oxidative stress, but it is well known that the antioxidant Ruta chalepensis has an effective modulator role in oxidative stress in metabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of R. chalepensis extract on blood biochemical parameters, tissue zinc status and antioxidant systems in rats with diabetes that were fed zinc-deficient diets.

METHODS: We divided 28 male albino Wistar rats into 4 groups: 2 groups (1 group with diabetes, 1 group without diabetes) were fed zinc-sufficient diets, while the other 2 groups of rats with diabetes were fed zinc-deficient diets. One group was not treated, and the other was treated with the extract of R. chalepensis. After 3 weeks of dietary manipulation, the fasting animals were killed.

RESULTS: The body-weight gains of the zinc-deficient animals with diabetes were lower than those of the zinc-adequate animals with diabetes. It was noticed also that inadequate dietary zinc intake increased the glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, uric acid, creatinine and lipid peroxidation levels. In addition, the zinc-deficient diet led to a decrease in zinc tissues (femur, liver, kidney), glutathione concentration and both glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase activities. However, R. chalepensis treatment ameliorated all the previous parameters approximately to their normal levels.

CONCLUSIONS: It seems that R. chalepensis supplementation is a potent factor in reducing the oxidative severity of zinc deficiency in experimental diabetes through its hypoglycemic and antioxidant actions.