PREVENTIVE EFFECT OF DIOSMIN, A BIOFLAVONOID, ON GLYCOPROTEIN CHANGES IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-NICOTINAMIDE-INDUCED TYPE 2 DIABETIC RATS

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of diosmin on the levels of glycoprotein components in plasma and tissues of streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NA) induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (45 mg/kg b. w). Diosmin (DS) (100 mg/kg b. w) was administered orally for 45days. The effects of diosmin on plasma glucose, plasma insulin, plasma and tissue glycoproteins were studied. The levels of plasma glucose and plasma glycoproteins were increased significantly whereas the level of plasma insulin was significantly decreased in diabetic rats. There was a significant decrease in the level of sialic acid and elevated levels of hexose, hexosamine and fucose in the liver and kidney of diabetic rats. Oral administration of diosmin to diabetic rats led to decreased levels of plasma glucose and plasma glycoproteins. The levels of plasma insulin and tissue sialic acid were increased, whereas the levels of tissue hexose, hexosamine and fucose were near normal. The present study indicates that diosmin possesses a significant beneficial effect on glycoproteins in addition to its antidiabetic effect.