The Black Truffle, Tuber melanosporum (Ascomycetes), Ameliorates Hyperglycemia and Regulates Insulin Signaling Pathway in STZ-Induced Diabetic Rats

Black truffle mushroom, Tuber melanosporum, is effective in treating various symptoms associated with diabetes mellitus such as hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, and hyperlipidemia and is used as traditional medicine. The aim of our study is to elucidate the antidiabetic potential of T. melanosporum. Male albino Wistar rats were administered a single dose of STZ (40 mg/kg b.w.) to induce mild diabetes mellitus (DM). After the confirmation of hyperglycemia, rats were treated with three different doses of truffle extract (TE) (200, 400, and 600 mg/kg b.w.) for the duration of 45 days. The various tissues were collected at the end of the study. The levels of glucose, oral glucose tolerance test, insulin, hexokinase, glucose 6 phosphatase, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and regulation of insulin signaling genes were quantified. The results showed that STZ-induced rats have a higher blood glucose level and a lower insulin level compared with the control groups and TE treated groups. Results also reveal that STZ suppressed the expressions of insulin signaling genes in diabetic rats and TE treatment resulted in a positive regulation of the insulin signaling pathway. The results of TE are similar to the results attained in glibenclamide (GB) group rats. Overall, the study provides scientific evidence for the medicinal properties of black truffle; future clinical studies can warrant a potential antidiabetic drug in the form of diet.