AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF SPIRULINA PLATENSIS BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS ON OXIDATIVE STRESS LIPID PROFILE KIDNEY AND LIVER FUNCTION MARKERS OF STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Abstract

Spirulina is a microscopic, photosynthetic, filamentous cyanobacteria (blue–green algae) and a natural nutritional product that has fewer side effects than synthetic preparations. The present study evaluated the kidney function markers, antidiabetic and antidislipidemic potential of the bioactive compounds phycocyanin extracted from Spirulina in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. 30 Male Albino rats were equally divided into 6 groups: normal control, diabetic control, diabetic + glibenclamide (glyburide) (600 μg/kg body weight), diabetic + Spirulina biomass suspension (50 mg/mL/kg body weight), diabetic + phycocyanin (50 mg/kg body weight), and diabetic + phycocyanopeptide (50 mg/kg body weight). Results revealed an increase in the serum urea and creatinine levels which may be due to a reduction in the glomerular filtration rate reduction in fasting serum glucose levels, α-amylase activity, and lipid levels, and an improvement in insulin resistance, liver and kidney functions, and oxidative marker levels in diabetic rats treated with Spirulina platensis biomass compared with diabetic control rats and those treated with phycocyanin and phycocyanopeptide. In addition, an increase in HDLcholesterol levels and β-cell function was observed after these treatments compared with diabetic control rats. The study data concluded that Spirulina could be used as alternative treatments as antihyperlipidemic and antidiabetic agent as well as in liver and kidney protective.