Phoenix dactylifera Linn fruit based-diets palliate hyperglycemia in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Objectives This study was designed to examine the in vitro inhibitory activities of vital enzymes related to diabetes mellitus and different biochemical parameters of Phoenix dactylifera fruit based-diet in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Methods The aqueous extract of P. dactylifera fruit based-diet was prepared and used for determination of in vitro antioxidants as well as α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities using standard procedures. Also, 30 albino rats were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan and grouped into A-D as normal rats placed on Dioscorea rotundata based-diet, diabetic control rats placed on D. rotundata based-diet, diabetic rats placed on D. rotundata based-diet and administered metformin orally per day, and diabetic rats placed on P. dactylifera fruit based-diet respectively. The animals were sacrificed on the fourth week of the experiment, and different biochemical parameters were evaluated. Results The P. dactylifera fruit based-diet extract demonstrated antioxidative potentials and inhibition against α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, diabetic rats placed on the P. dactylifera fruit based-diet revealed significant (p<0.05) increase in body weight, insulin and glycogen levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, GLUT 2 and high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations when compared with the diabetic control group. Also, diabetic rats placed on P. dactylifera fruit based-diet indicate significant (p<0.05) reduction in fasting blood glucose, lipid peroxidation, cytokines levels, some gluconeogenesis enzyme activities, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins and very low-density lipoproteins concentrations compared to the diabetic control animals. Conclusion This diet could be an alternative nutraceutical means of managing diabetes mellitus and its complications.