EFFECTS OF RICE BRAN OIL AND GAMMA - ORYZANOL ON ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE IN STREPTOZOTOCIN NICOTINAMIDE INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Rice bran oil (RBO), a unique cooking oil is produced from the pericarp and germ of Oryza sativa seeds. Oryzanol is a mixture of sterol esters of ferulic acid and is known to have several health benefits. Male albino wistar rats were rendered hyperlipidemic by feeding high fat high cholesterol diet and diabetic by single intraperitoneal injection of freshly prepared streptozotocin [60 mg /kg b.w.] along with nicotinamide (NA) (120 mg/kg, i.p). Animals were suppl emented for a period of 42 days with Rice Bran Oil (RBO) [15%] singly; blends of rice bran oil and oryzanol ( RBO - OZ - 100) with RBO (15%)and OZ at 100mg/Kg body weight and Oryzanol ( OZ - 100) singly at 100mg/Kg body weight. Glibenclamide (5mg/kg body weight) was used as a standard reference drug. Serum and tissues (liver kidneys and pancreas) were investigated for its antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidative efficacy in rats. High fat - high cholesterol feeding (HFHC) and STZ - NA induced diabetes resul ted in significant increase in blood glucose, lipid ? lipoprotein fractions and oxidative stress biomarkers in serum and tissues of rats. Treatment with RBO and oryzanol significantly (p?0.05) restored the biochemical indices near to normal. The effect of RBO - OZ - 100 and OZ - 100 was better than glibenclamide. Results suggest that RBO and OZ efficiently regulated blood glucose; ameliorated lipid abnormalities associated with diabetes and improved the antioxidant enzymatic status in STZ - NA diabetic rats by virt ue of bioactive compounds. The therapeutic potential of RBO and OZ can be used as preventive and protective therapy against the detrimental effects of diabetes and associated hyperlipidemia.