Marianne Sindic

Evaluation of antidiabetic properties of cactus pear seed oil in rats

Abstract Context: Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae)) is a medicinal plant widely used to treat diabetes. Objective: This work investigates the hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic effect of cactus pear seed oil (CPSO), its mechanism of action, and any toxic effects. Materials and methods: The hypoglycemic effect of CPSO was evaluated in groups of six healthy Wistar rats given 1 or 2u2009mlu2009kg−1 orally and compared with groups receiving glibenclamide (2u2009mgu2009kg−1) or water. Glycemia was determined after 30, 60, 120, 240, and 360u2009min. The antihyperglycemic effect of CPSO was determined in healthy rats and in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ); normal rats received 0.8u2009mlu2009kg−1 CPSO, while diabetic rats received 1u2009mlu2009kg−1 CPSO, their controls received water or 2u2009mgu2009kg−1 glibenclamide. For the antihyperglycemic effect evaluation, all the animals were fasted for 16u2009h before treatment and received glucose orally at 1u2009gu2009kg−1 30u2009min after treatment; blood was taken after 30, 90, 150, and 210u2009min. Intestinal glucose absorption was estimated in rat jejunum perfused with a solution containing 5.55u2009mmolu2009l−1 glucose. Acute toxicity was determined in albino mice that received oral or intraperitoneal doses of 1, 3, or 5u2009mlu2009kg−1 CPSO. Results: CPSO (p.o.) decreased postprandial hyperglycemia (60u2009min after glucose loading), 40.33% and 16.01%, in healthy and STZ-diabetic glucose-loaded rats, respectively. CPSO, also, significantly decreased intestinal glucose absorption by 25.42%. No adverse effects were seen in mice administered CPSO at up to 5u2009mlu2009kg−1. Conclusion: CPSO is antihyperglycemic. The effect can be explained partly by inhibition of intestinal glucose absorption.