D-Limonene and Vitamin E Combinatory Therapy Stimulate Erythropoiesis and Repair Of Β-Cells Atrophy in Alloxan–Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus is a significant public health problem worldwide. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diabetes as it is one of the inevitable outcomes of the cellular process. The present study aims to investigate the putative antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant efficacy of limonene and vitamin E compared with metformin, a standard drug for the therapy of diabetes. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg of alloxan. There was a significant (P<0.05) increase in body weight of rats treated with limonene, vitamin E, and combinatory therapy of limonene and vitamin E compared to the untreated diabetic group which showed a decrease in weight. Combinatory therapy treatment of limonene and vitamin E showed a significant difference (P<0.05) when compared with the groups treated with limonene, vitamin E, and metformin. The combinatory therapy also reduced blood glucose levels, significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the non-diabetic treated group treated with limonene and the group treated with vitamin E. Also, the combined treated group ameliorated the effect of diabetes on total cholesterol, triglyceride concentration, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein. Treatment with limonene and vitamin E, significantly (P< 0.05) ameliorated diabetic effect on MDA concentration and SOD activity. Pathological lesions observed in the pancreas treated with limonene, vitamin E, and combinatory therapy of limonene and vitamin E showed normal tissue architecture compared to the group treated with metformin. It was concluded that limonene and vitamin E exerted significant anti-diabetic and anti-hyperglycaemic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.