The effect of humic substances on carbohydrate metabolism in alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in rats

Abstract

The article presents study results of the effect of humic nature biologically active additive «Humilid» on carbohydrate metabolism, namely on glucose, insulin and C-peptide in alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in rats. The purpose of the experiment was to investigate how “Humilid” affects carbohydrate metabolism in rats; to study and analyze the effect of the humic nature biologically active substance «Humilid» on metabolic processes. In the work we used biochemical methods for studying the blood of experimental rats. Adult male white rats were taken for the experiment, from which four groups were formed. The experiment lasted three weeks, during which the animals from the first experimental group received daily in addition to the main feed an aqueous solution of feed additive «Humilid» at dose 5 mg / kg of body weight of the active substance, and had free access to water. Rats of the second and third groups were injected with alloxan as a single intraperitoneal injection. The rats of the third group additionally received an aqueous solution of feed additive «Humilid». It was identified that “Humilid” has an antioxidant activity, which may be one of the mechanisms of its antidiabetic action, as it is known that alloxan causes free radical damage to β-cells with weak antioxidant protection. The use of a biologically active feed additive of humic nature was found to have a hypoglycemic effect in both healthy animals as well as in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus. It was found that the use of “Humilid” in rats enhances energy processes in their bodies of experimental animals. There was a decrease in glucose content in rats from second group by 11.9% (P ≤ 0.001) compared with the control one. At the same time, the glucose content in animals from third and fourth groups was higher by 35.9% (P ≤ 0.001) and 20% (P ≤ 0.001) higher than in animals from the control one. The insulin concentration in the blood of rats from the second group was 7.4% higher (P ≤ 0.05) compared to the animals from first group. The concentration of C-peptide was within the reference values. The levels of insulin and C-peptide concentration in animals of the third and groups were lower by 47.8% (P ≤ 0.001) and 32.4% (P ≤ 0.001) and 55.5% (P ≤ 0.001) and 37.5% (P ≤ 0.001) in comparison with animals of first group. A pronounced hypoglycemic effect, which was due to an increase in the sensitivity of tissues to glucoregulatory hormones and an increase in the body’s tolerance to excessive intake of carbohydrates. The obtained results of the study indicate the regulatory effect of humic feed additive «Humilid» on key links in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism, which is characterized by the decrease in blood glucose level due to activation of the synthesis and secretion of insulin and C-peptide.