The effects of some plant extracts and chemical substances on aldose reductase activity

Aldose reductase (AR, E.C.1.1.1.21) is a protein from the reductases whose cofactor is NADPH. In the case of hyperglycemia, AR catalyzes the first and rate-determining step of the polyol pathway, reducing glucose to sorbitol. The resulting sorbitol accumulates in the cells and causes the formation of lens cataracts with a hyperosmotic effect. Therefore, studies on AR are very important in the development of antidiabetic drugs. In our thesis study, the highest AR inhibition was found in plant extracts such as pumpkin, grapefruit and chard, in chemical substances such as benzoic acid, gallic acid and alpha ketoglutaric acid, in metal salts such as iron (II) sulfate, copper (II) sulfate, iron (III) sulfate and sodium valproate, in amino acids such as L-arginine monohydrochloride, in antidiabetic drugs such as glunerom and acarbose, and in vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin E. It can be suggested that plant extracts, chemical substances, metal salts, amino acids, antidiabetic drugs and vitamins that show high AR inhibition can be used in the treatment of diabetes and in the prevention of the development of its complications, in addition to drug therapy.