Antidiabetic effects of chitosan capsule on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and possible cardioprotective and β-cell regenerative effects

Background: Chitosan capsule is manufactured by Green World Natural Solutions International Limited, U.S.A. as a food supplement; it is indicated in the management of obesity and hyperglycemia.Objective: To investigate the antidiabetic effects of Green World Chitosan capsuleTM in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Methods: Twenty male Wistar albino rats (130-150 g) were divided into five groups comprising normal control, diabetic control and diabetic treated with 150 mg/kg body weight chitosan, 300 mg/kg body weight chitosan or 6 IU/kg body weight insulin. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitonial injection of 65 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin prior to the commencement of treatment. After four weeks of treatment, the animals were sacrificed and their blood samples were collected for biochemical assays. The pancreas was harvested for histological assessments.Results: Treatment with the two doses of Chitosan significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the blood glucose level, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol but significantly (p < 0.05) increased catalase activity compared to the diabetic control. Only the animals treated with the higher dose Chitosan (300 mg/kg body weight) showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol with a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in malondialdehyde content, alanine amino transferase (ALT) activity, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. The aspartate amino transferase (AST) activity of the Chitosan treated groups was reduced but not significantly compared to the diabetic control. Histological examination of the pancreas of the diabetic rats treated with the two doses of Chitosan showed increased islet cells cluster compared with the diabetic control group.Conclusion: Green World Chitosan posseses hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant potentials, and could therefore be effective in the management of diabetes.Keywords: Chitosan capsule , Green World, Diabetes, Streptozotocin