The Anti-diabetic, Hypolipidemic and Anti-oxidant activities of D-3- O-methylchiroinositol in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Plan: The anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of D-3-O-methylchiroinositol were investigated in male Wistar rats. Methodology: Diabetes was induced by a single intra-peritoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate. Five groups of rats comprising six animals in each group were used including a positive control group (glibenclamide, 2 mg/kg), treatment groups (8, 4 and 2 mg/kg of D-3-O-methylchiroinositol respectively) and control (untreated) group. Blood samples were obtained from the rat tails every morning before treatment. Outcome: Alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia was significantly (p< 0.05) reduced by 59%, 48% and 41% after four days at 8, 4 and 2 mg/kg respectively compared with the untreated group (-135%) and Glibenclamide (50%). The in vitro anti-oxidant assays (DPPH and FRAP) showed that D-3-O-methylchiroinositol increased anti-oxidant activities with increasing concentration (10 – 400 μg/ml). D-3-O-methylchiroinositol therefore has anti-diabetic hypolipidemic and anti-oxidant activities.