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KMID : 0613820060160050767
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Journal of Life Science
2006 Volume.16 No. 5 p.767 ~ p.772
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Hypoglycemic and Hepatoprotective Effects of Betaine on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
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Jung Jae-Jun
Kim Yong-Taek
Seo Won-Seok
Yang Hyun-Ju
Lee Yong-Soo
Cha Jae-Young
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Abstract
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This study was to investigate the effect of betaine on the hypoglycemia and hepatoprotection of streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing around 280 g were randomly assigned to the three experimental groups: a healthy normal group and two groups with STZ-induced diabetes and fed either control diet or betaine diet. Betaine given to the STZ-diabetic rats had significant effect in lowering the serum glucose concentrations compared to the STZ-diabetic rats. The alanine aminotransferase (AST) and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) activities and triglyceride contents in serum were dramatically higher in the STZ-diabetic rats, but these increases in relation to diabetes also decreased in the STZ-diabetic rats fed betaine. However, the total-cholesterol concentration in the STZ-diabetic rats was even increased by betaine. The morphology of the pancreatic islets in the normal rats showed a typical round form, but most of the islets in the STZ-diabetic rats showed severe morphological alterations by being markedly destroyed. However, the islet morphology of STZ-diabetic rats given betaine mostly maintained a normal rounded appearance. The present study strongly suggests that the administration of betaine showed a moderate hypoglycemic effect by protecting the pancreatic beta-cells by morphological examination from STZ-induced destruction.
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KEYWORD
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Betaine, streptozotocin, diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, hepatoprotection
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