Damel Lakshmi U¹,
Kayalvizhi E²,
Manikandan B¹,
Rupasri Dutt Roy³,
Priyadarshini G¹,
Chandrasekhar M²
¹Department of Physiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Maduravoyal, Chennai,
²Meenakshi Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Enathur, Kanchipuram, ³Satyabama University Dental College Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai

Abstract

• Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder which affects the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Amongst plant foods with health benefits, crops from the family Brassicaceae have been the focus of numerous epidemiological and clinical studies as they are a good source of a variety of nutrients and health promoting phytochemicals. Since the medicinal value of Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes or kohlrabi was not yet familiar in the society, we aimed to focus on its antidiabetic and antioxidant properties in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
• Aim: To study the antidiabetic effect of Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes in Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
• Materials and Methods: Eighteen male Wistar rats (150-200g) were divided into 3 groups of 6 animals each, as Group I: Control group (citrate buffer), Group II: Streptozotocin-induced diabetes (47 mg/kg body weight) and Group III: Streptozotocin-induced diabetes treated with Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes (800 mg/kg body weight).
• Results: In Group III, the fasting blood glucose level was significantly reduced (p<0.05) to 91mg/dl in the first week of study, when compared to Group I and II and was maintained for the entire 28 days of the treatment. Antioxidant enzymes levels were found to be significantly increased (p<0.05) in Group II.
• Conclusion: This study revealed that the fasting blood glucose level of male Wistar rats with Streptozotocin-induced diabetes treated with Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes was significantly reduced when compared to the controls and the Streptozotocin-induced diabetic group. Further studies are required to confirm such effects in humans.

Keywords: Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes, diabetes mellitus, antidiabetic activity, Wistar rats