Interaction of Carthamus oil, chromium picolinate and glyburide in blood glucose and its impact on liver enzymes and lipid profile in diabetes-induced rats

Abstract

Introduction: Carthamus oil is a compound that has the potential to be used in numerous applications due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective effects. Chromium picolinate has been indicated for the control of insulin resistance. Aim: To evaluate the effect of Carthamus oil (30 mg/kg) and chromium picolinate (5 µg/kg) interaction with oral glyburide in chemically diabetes-induced Wistar rats and its influence on drug therapy. Method: Diabetes mellitus was induced with streptozotocin, and the animals were randomized into experimental groups (n= 6/group), who received gastric gavage treatments for ten days, G1: control, G2: diabetic and received glyburide, G3: diabetic and received the interaction of Carthamus oil and chromium picolinate, G4: diabetic and received the interaction of glyburide, Carthamus oil and chromium picolinate. After the treatment period, fasting blood glucose, post-sucrose blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in blood serum were compared, in addition to urine analysis. Results: In this study, the only altered parameters were the post-sucrose blood glucose measurement with the lowest result for G4 (P <0.05), and the ALT measurement, with lower values for G4 (P <0.05) compared to G1. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the unprecedented interaction of Carthamus oil, chromium picolinate and glyburide contributed to the reduction of blood glucose and serum levels of ALT in diabetic rats and is promising for future studies in humans.