Abstract

BACKGROUND
Sea tangle is one of the low calorie diet and the fibers in sea tangle suppress the increase of blood glucose level. Therefore, it has a better impact than any other diets for diabetic patients. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of sea tangle powder, hereafter referred as Substance , as an antihyperglycemic agent and antioxidant in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: group 1) vehicle-treated normal rats; group 2) vehicle-treated STZ-diabetic rats; group 3) sea tangle powder-treated STZ-diabetic rats. Fasting blood glucose levels and body weights were measured. Intracellular ROS levels were measured using Cytofluor 2350 plate reader. RESULTS: Oral administration of sea tangle powder for 10 days resulted in lowered levels of blood glucose in early stage (within a week) and preventing effect of weight loss in late stage. Treatment with sea tangle powder resulted in the decrease of intracellular ROS levels in Dendritic Cell line. CONCLUSION: Sea tangle powder exhibits antihyperglycemic activity and restorative activity on weight loss in STZ-induced diabetic rats. It's abilities depend not on protecting disruption of beta-cell, but on antioxidant effect in other organs.

• Keywords: Antioxidant;Diabetes mellitus;Sea tangle powder