Yacon roots (Smallanthus sonchifolius) improve oxidative stress in diabetic rats.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | decrease | malondialdehyde levels | diabetic rats | -30.97% | produced a significant decrease | #1 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | decrease | malondialdehyde levels | diabetic rats | -19.15% | produced a significant decrease | #2 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | decrease | hepatic superoxide dismutase activity | diabetic-treated rats | -13.46% | were significantly lower | #3 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | decrease | hepatic catalase activity | diabetic-treated rats | -64.33% | were significantly lower | #4 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | increase | glutathione peroxidase levels | diabetic rats | 172.50% | produced an increase | #5 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | increase | glutathione levels | diabetic rats | 35.91% | produced an increase | #6 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | increase | glutathione peroxidase levels | diabetic rats | 177.78% | produced an increase | #7 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | increase | glutathione levels | diabetic rats | 57.76% | produced an increase | #8 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | decrease | plasma cholesterol levels | diabetic rats | - | reverted back to nearly normal | #9 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | decrease | triacylglycerol levels | diabetic rats | - | reverted back to nearly normal | #10 |
yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement | neutral | liver fatty acid composition | diabetic rats | - | reverted back to nearly normal | #11 |
CONTEXT: Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. and Endl.) H. Robinson, Asteraceae (yacon) roots are a natural product recognized by the traditional medicine to treat diabetes-related problems. There are no reports concerning the potential of yacon roots to reduce oxidative stress and ameliorate diabetes complications in diabetic animals. OBJECTIVE: This work analyzes the in vivo antioxidant activity and beneficial effects of yacon roots, using a model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lipid peroxidation and other indicators of oxidative stress were determined in liver and kidney homogenates from non-diabetic rats, untreated diabetic rats, and diabetic rats treated orally with yacon flour (340 mg fructooligosaccharide/kg/d) as a diet supplement for 90 d. Biochemical parameters were determined in liver, kidney, and blood at the end of the experimental period. RESULTS: Yacon supplementation to diabetic rats produced a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels in both liver (-30.97%) and kidney (-19.15%). Hepatic superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly lower in diabetic-treated rats (-13.46 and -64.33%, respectively) compared with diabetic controls. Similar results were observed in kidney. The treatment of diabetic rats produced an increase of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione levels in liver (172.50 and 35.91%, respectively) and kidney (177.78 and 57.76%, respectively). Plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels and liver fatty acid composition, which were altered in diabetic rats, reverted back to nearly normal with yacon treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that yacon root flour is a potential diet supplement with high in vivo antioxidant activity.