Protective effects of chromium and Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) on oxidative stress, diabet and TNF-alfa level in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

This study was conducted in order to determine the effects of the use of chrome and Trigonella foenum-graecum (TFG) both together and individually, on the oxidative stress, TNF-α and diabetes of the rats in which diabetes was caused to occur with streptozotocin. In the study, 60 female rats of Sprague-Dawley was used, all 2-3 months old and being 10 of them in each group. Physiological saline solution was given orally for 21 days to the control group. Diabetes was caused to occur in the experimental group with 50 mg/kg single douse of STZ. Physiological saline solution to the diabetes control group (DC), 150 mg/kg of TFG to the Trigonella group, 30 µg/kg of chrome to the chrome group, 150 mg/kg TFG+30 µg/kg chrome to the combined group orally and subcutaneous 1IU insulin was given to the insulin group for 21 days. On the 0th and 3rd and after diabetes was caused to occur, on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days of the study, preprandial blood glucose counts; and the on 21st day, with HbA1c, Total Oxidant Status (TOS), Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) and TNF-α numbers were counted. When the preprandial blood glucose counts of the 21st days of the DC group and the other groups with diabetes were compared, it was found that there was a decrease in the TFG, insulin and TFG+Cr groups by p˂0.001, by p<0.01 in the Cr group; and no significance in the HbA1c counts. The plasma, erythrocyte and liver TOS levels of the experimental groups with diabetes showed an insignificant decrease in comparison to the DC group. A decrease of p<0.05 in the kidney TOS levels of the combined group was determined. It was found out that no significance had been present in the erythrocyte and liver TAS levels, and that there was an increase in the plasma TAS levels of the insulin group and in the kidney TAS levels of the chrome group by p<0.05. When the counts of the plasma TNF-α levels of the experimental groups with diabetes were compared to the DC group; a decrease of p<0.05 in the chrome group and when the liver TNF-α levels were compared, a decrease of p<0.001 in the insulin group was found out. In conclusion, it has been established that the exogenous use of Trigonella foenum-graecum and chrome are useful in the control of the increases in the levels of preprandial glucose and in the struggle to ease the effects of increasing hyperglycemia, oxidative stress and TNF-α; however, that the medication of the two together with insulin would be more effective. Keywords: Diabetes, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Chrome, TNF-α, Oxidative Stress.