Affiliations: [a] Department of Biochemistry, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Ashabi Ewenla Street, Agbala Epe Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria. e-mail: ukperoro@yahoo.com
Abstract: Zinc and selenium have been shown to singly act in normalising glycaemia and are also postulated to possess insulin-like functions. Supplementation with their combination in the diets of rats with alloxan-induced diabetes was investigated with the aim of investigating their effects on glucose homeostasis and their antioxidant properties on the liver and kidney of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Thirty-five rats were randomly assigned to five groups and four groups were made diabetic by the administration of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan monohydrate, after which three diabetic groups were fed with diets supplemented with zinc, selenium and a combination of the two. Zinc, selenium and the combination significantly reduced blood glucose concentration, restored hepatic functions, increased the antioxidant status of the diabetic rats and reduced lipid peroxidation in both the hepatic and renal tissues. It was concluded that supplementation with zinc, selenium and the combination facilitated glucose uptake, prevented oxidative stress, reduced lipid peroxidation and preserved hepatic function in diabetes.
