Improvement of Insulin Secretion and Pancreatic β-Cell Function in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats Treated with Dioscorea esculenta Extract http://www.doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v7i11.6

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia that can destroy pancreatic β-cells due to its toxic effect. A local Indonesian vegetable known as lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta) possesses anti-diabetic properties. The present study evaluated the effect of inulin extract from lesser yam on pancreatic β-cell count and insulin expression in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Inulin was extracted from lesser yams. Streptozotocin was used to induce diabetes in Wistar rats. The rats were divided into six groups: I (control), II (DM), III (galvus drug-control), IV, and V (DM rats administered with inulin at 100 and 300 mg/kg body weight for 21 days, respectively), and VI (DM rats administered with inulin extract at 300 mg/kg body weight for 30 days). Pancreatic β-cell count and insulin expression were assessed using immunohistochemical and histopathological methods, respectively. The results showed that on the 21st and 28th days after treatment, there was a significant difference in the number of pancreatic β-cells between the groups. On day 14, the insulin expression of pancreatic β-cells between groups was significantly different. There was a significant difference in the insulin expression of pancreatic β-cells on the 21st and 28th-day treatments between the various groups. The findings of the study reveal an increase in the β-cell number and insulin expression of pancreatic β-cells in diabetic rats when inulin extract from lesser yam was administered. The inulin dose variation had no significant effect on the number and insulin expression of pancreatic β-cells in Wistar rats.