Affiliations: Kansai Shinkyu Medical University, 1-11, 2 Wakaba
Kumatori Sennan, Osaka 590-0482, Japan | Tsuno Food industrial Co., LTD, 94 Shinden,
Katsuragicho, Itogun, Wakayama 649-7194, Japan | Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture,
60 Ogura Wakayama 649-6261, Japan | Wakayama University of Medical Science, 811-1
Kimiidera, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan | Faculty of Education, Wakayama University, 930
Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan
Abstract: Antioxidant activity and biological properties of ferulic acid (FA)
are well recognized. This study was designed to estimate the potential utility
of FA administered orally at low dosage for improvement of hyperglycemia in
diabetes. With this aim we have evaluated the hypoglycemic effect of FA in two
type diabetic animal models: (1) streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, a
model of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM); (2)
KK-A^{y} mice, a model of non-insulin dependent diabetes
mellitus (NIDDM). In addition, we measured the production of thiobarbituric
acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in brown adipose tissues of diabetic mice at
the end of FA feeding experiment. FA at 0.01% and 0.1% of basal diet showed
to suppress significantly blood glucose levels in STZ-induced diabetic mice. In
KK-A^{y} mice 0.05% FA suppressed effectively blood
glucose levels. In addition, FA inhibited the lipid peroxidation in brown
adipose tissue of diabetic mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that
dietary FA may be useful in alleviating oxidative stress and attenuating the
hyperglycemic response associated with diabetes.
