Effect of some tropical eggplant fruits (Solanum Spp) supplemented diet on diabetic neuropathy inmale Wistar ratsin-vivo

Abstract

Background: Eggplant is a popular crop grown in the subtropics and tropics for its fruits. Although it is a perennial plant, its fruits are grown commercially as an annual crop. The fruit is primarily used as a vegetable for various dishes. The eggplant has various kinds of species, which are highly variable in color, shape, and size. Content and Purpose of this study: This study focused on comparing the effect of dietary tropical eggplants Solanum kumba (PG) Solanum gilo (PW) and Solanum aethiopicum (PGW) species. Type-II-Diabetes was induced experimentally by high fat fed/low dose streptozotocin (STZ) 35 mg/kg body weight on male wistar rats. The diabetic subjects were fed diets supplemented with 20-40% eggplant fruits of different species for 14 days. The effect of the diets on the blood glucose level, pancreatic α-amylase, intestinal α-glucosidase and angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) activities, plasma antioxidant status were determined, in addition to the quantification of the fruits polyphenols using High Performance Liquid Chromatography/diode array detection fingerprinting (HPLC/DAD). Results: The results revealed that there was no significant (P < 0.05) difference in the average feed intake in all the groups. Supplementation with eggplant diet gradually reduced blood glucose level and hypertension in the diabetic rats (treatment groups) when compared to diabetic rats (negative control) without treatment and metformin-treated (positive control group). The treated group with eggplant diet demonstrated elevated levels of antioxidant status such as glutathione peroxidase GPX, glutathione transferase GST, reduced glutathione GSH, Catalase and Ascorbic acid. The supplemented diet reduced the free radicals produced as typified (TBARS). Conclusion: This study showed that the eggplant may attenuate hyperglycemia, hypertension and oxidative stress in the type-2-diabetes condition with Solanum kumba having the highest activity, which is not far fetched due to its synergistic activities of polyphenols as revealed in the HPLC/DAD analysis.