ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN DIABETIC RATS FED SOYBEAN, BROADBEAN AND WHOLE WHEAT

Abstract

The antioxidant status of alloxan-diabetic male rats (Sprague-Dawley strain) fed on experimental diets based on the flour of soybean, broad bean and whole wheat was studied. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate at a dose level of !50 mg/kg body weight. The diabetic rats were classified to seven groups. One group received the basal diet and represents the diabetic control group. The other six groups received the tested diets either as germinated seed or heat treated seed flour. Another group of normal rats was kept on basal diet and represents the negative control group.

Rats were kept on these dietary regimens for five weeks. Food intake and body weight gain were recorded at weekly intervals. Organs weights were recorded at the time of sacrificing. The measured parameters were; hepatic malondialdehyde, glutathione levels and catalase activity, erythrocytes superoxide dismutase, fasting serum glucose, uric acid, protein thiol levels as well as plasma levels of a-tocopherol and lipid pattern.