Antihyperlipidemic effect of D-pinitol on streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats

J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2008 Jul-Aug;22(4):220-4. doi: 10.1002/jbt.20218.

Abstract

D-pinitol (3-O-methyl-chiroinositol), an active principle of the traditional antidiabetic plant, Bougainvillea spectabilis, is claimed to exert insulin-like effects. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of D-pinitol on lipids and lipoproteins in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Rats were made type II diabetic by single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at a dose of 40 mg/kg body weight. STZ-induced diabetic rats showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in the levels of blood glucose and total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids in serum, liver, kidney, heart, and brain. The levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol were significantly increased, and the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly decreased in diabetic rats Oral administration of D-pinitol to STZ-induced diabetic rats showed significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the levels of blood glucose and total cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids in serum, liver, kidney, heart, and brain. The D-pinitol also lowered significantly (p < 0.05) LDL and VLDL cholesterol levels and increased significantly (p < 0.05) HDL cholesterol levels in the serum of diabetic rats. Thus, the present study clearly showed the antihyperlipidemic effect of D-pinitol in STZ-induced type II diabetic rats.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Cholesterol / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / metabolism
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / blood
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / metabolism
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Inositol / administration & dosage
  • Inositol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Inositol / isolation & purification
  • Inositol / pharmacology
  • Lipid Metabolism / drug effects
  • Lipids / blood
  • Lipoproteins / blood
  • Lipoproteins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Nyctaginaceae
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Triglycerides / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Lipids
  • Lipoproteins
  • Triglycerides
  • pinitol
  • Inositol
  • Cholesterol