Effects of coconut water on carbohydrate metabolism and pancreatic pathology of alloxan induced diabetic rats

IntroductionDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia and insufficiency of secretion or action of endogenous insulin. In addition to a good number of known antidiabetic drugs in the market, remedies from natural source are used with success to manage this disease because it has fewer adverse effects, potential cost effectiveness and it is easily available. Coconut water (Cocos nucifera L.) has many medicinal applications to treat metabolic syndromes including hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, etc. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of mature coconut water (MCW) on carbohydrate metabolism in experimentally induced diabetes.MethodologyDiabetes was induced in rats by injecting them with alloxan (150 mg/kg body weight) intraperitoneally. After inducing diabetes with alloxan, MCW was given (4 ml/100 g body weight) to rats orally for 45 days. Effects of MCW on blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, liver glycogen, various carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes and pancreas were evaluated in normal and experimental rats.ResultsOral administration of MCW in diabetic rats showed a significant reduction in blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels with improvement in plasma insulin levels. Activities of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes were higher in MCW treated diabetic rats along with increased concentration of liver glycogen. Histopathological analysis of pancreas revealed that treatment with MCW reduced the pancreatic damage induced by alloxan and stimulated β-cell regeneration in diabetic rats.ConclusionThe overall results show that MCW exert significant antihyperglycemic potential and could be developed as a potent drug candidate or nutraceutical for the management of diabetes and associated complications.