Isolated Soy Protein-Based Diet Ameliorates Glycemia and Antioxidants Enzyme Activities in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes induced by isolated soy protein (ISP)-based diet on glycemia and oxidative stress biomarkers in diabetic rats. Fifteen male Wistar rats (354 g, aged 21 days) were assigned to three groups: Casein (C group), which received casein-based diet during experimental protocol; Diabetic treated with Casein (D+C group) that received casein-based diet before and after diabetes induction; Diabetic treated with ISP (D+S group) that received casein-based diet before diabetes induction and after received ISP-based diet for the experimental protocol. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body weight i.v.). After three weeks of dietary treatment, total nitrates, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione- S-transferase (GST) were measured in heart homogenates. ISP-based diet promoted an improvement in the glycemic levels of diabetic rats compared with casein-based diet (36225 vs 46130 mg/dL). CAT activity demonstrated a significant decrease in D+C and D+S groups. D+S group presented a significant increase in SOD and GST activities. Lipid peroxidation was not different among experimental groups. The overall results suggested the potential benefits of ISP-based diet consumption to improve the life quality of diabetic patients.