ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Vicia faba Vicine and its aglucone, Divicine on control blood
glucose, serum insulin, lipid profile level and protective effect against oxidative stress in streptozotocin induced
diabetic rats. Oral administration of both Vicine and its aglucone Divicine at a concentration of 50mg/kg b.w daily
for 30 days showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose, iron, transferrin, total iron bending capacity
(TIBC), TG, TC, LDL-C, vLDL-C and atherogenic index as well as liver thiobarbaturic acid reactive substances
(TBARS). The treatment also resulted in a significant increase in plasma insulin, HDL-C, Ferritin, blood hemoglobin,
HBA1c and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) as well as blood and liver reduced glutathione (GSH),
superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) of
diabetic rats. The results clearly suggest that Vicine and Divicine may effectively normalize the impaired antioxidant
status in streptozotocin induced diabetes. Also, the tested compounds exerted hypolipidemic and protective effects
against lipid peroxidation by scavenging of free radicals by reducing the risk of diabetic complications. Finally, the
effect was more pronounced in ethanolic Divicine compared to Vicine. Taken together, Vicine and Divicine have
potential as preventive and therapeutic agents for oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetics and deserve
clinical trial in the near future as an adjuvant therapy in diabetes.