The anti-diabetic activity of oat β-D-glucan in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic mice

This study was initiated to investigate the mechanism by which oat beta-D-glucan (OBG) can control blood sugar levels and improve hepatogenic glycometabolism in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced mice. After administration of different concentrations and molecular weights of beta-D-glucan by oral gavage for 28 days, the body weight, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, hepatic glycogen, glucose kinase and glucose-6-phosphatase activity of the diabetic mice were measured. In comparison with a negative control group (saline), beta-D-glucan, especially medium or high doses of high-molecular-weight beta-D-glucan, had a strong hypoglycaemic effect in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced mice. The mechanism of this effect may be associated with the high viscosity of the solution, an increase in insulin secretion, a decline in insulin resistance, and especially an improvement in hepatogenic glycometabolism. Moreover, beta-D-glucan also markedly repaired and improved the integrity of pancreatic islet beta-cell and tissue structures. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.