Background: Hypoglycemic effects of grapefruit juice are well known but the effects of naringin, its main flavonoid on glucose intolerance and metabolic complications in type 1 diabetes are not known.
Objectives: To investigate the effects of naringin on glucose intolerance, oxidative stress and ketonemia in type 1 diabetic rats.
Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 5 groups (n = 7) were orally treated daily with 3.0 ml/kg body weight (BW)/day of distilled water (group 1) or 50 mg/kg BW of naringin (groups 2 and 4, respectively). Groups 3, 4 and 5 were given a single intra-peritoneal injection of 60 mg/kg BW of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. Group 3 was further treated with subcutaneous insulin (4.0 IU/kg BW) twice daily, respectively.
Results: Stretozotocin (STZ) only-treated groups exhibited hyperglycemia, polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss, glucose intolerance, low fasting plasma insulin and reduced hepatic glycogen content compared to the control group. Furthermore they had significantly elevated Malondialdehyde (MDA), acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate, anion gap and significantly reduced blood pH and plasma bicarbonate compared to the control group. Naringin treatment significantly improved Fasting Plasma Insulin (FPI), hepatic glycogen content, malondialdehyde, β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, bicarbonate, blood pH and anion gap but not Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) compared to the STZ only-treated group.
Conclusions: Naringin is not hypoglycemic but ameliorates ketoacidosis and oxidative stress. Naringin supplements could therefore mitigate complications of diabetic ketoacidosis.