Avaliação hepática e pancreática de animais diabéticos induzidos por estreptozotocina tratados com extrato de spondias tuberosa arruda

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, resulting from a deficiency in insulin production by the pancreas and/or its action, leading to long-term complications. The pharmacological therapy of DM faces limitations due to a high number of side effects. Alternative treatments based on natural products have potential in the treatment of DM. The species Spondias tuberosa Arruda, known as umbu tree, has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat digestive diseases, infections, and diabetes. Despite its frequent use, there are few studies on its benefits. However, a recent study demonstrated its anti-hyperglycemic activity. Considering the easy access to this species in the region and its pharmacological potential, the aim of this work was to evaluate the antidiabetogenic effect of the Spondias tuberosa Arruda extract (ESt) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, including clinical, biochemical, morphological analyses, and the evaluation of possible markers involved in the therapeutic effect of the species under study. A total of 52 Wistar rats were used, and Diabetes mellitus was induced by streptozotocin (50mg/kg i.p.). The groups were divided into 5: GC (control group animals), DM (animals with experimental diabetes), EX (non-diabetic animals treated with ESt), DMEX (animals with experimental diabetes treated with ESt), and DMIN (animals with experimental diabetes treated with insulin). ESt (500 mg/kg, v.o.) and NPH insulin (10UI, s.c.) were administered daily for 30 days after the onset of diabetes mellitus. The analyzed parameters showed an increase in water intake, food consumption, weight loss, increased AST (aspartate aminotransferase), and significant morphological damage in the liver and pancreatic tissues of diabetic animals. Treatment with ESt was able to reduce AST, improve hepatic glycogen depletion, and pancreatic injury observed in diabetic animals. This improvement was also observed in animals treated with insulin. In the evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), it was observed that DM increased the immunofluorescence of this parameter, as well as the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) by immunohistochemistry, however, treatment with ESt was not able to reverse this. Given these results, it can be concluded that ESt reduced the hepatic enzyme AST, improved histopathological and morphometric alterations in the liver and pancreatic tissues, even without being able to alleviate the hyperglycemia of experimental DM. The results of this research contributed to a better understanding of the complex pathophysiology of DM1 and will encourage research with new therapeutic or complementary alternatives based on medicinal plants from the rich Brazilian flora.