Protection against oxidative stress in diabetic rats by wheat bran feruloyl oligosaccharides

Diabetes is one of the most costly of the chronic diseases and is increasing in epidemic proportions in developing countries. It has been found that some antioxidants play a role in protection against oxidative stress, which is associated with diabetes. In this study, enzyme-released feruloyl oligosaccharides from wheat bran were given intragastrically (ig) to test their effect on antioxidant capacity, body weight restoring capacity, and serum glucose level in alloxan-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, using sodium ferulate and vitamin C as positive control groups. The levels of blood glucose, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), and malondiadehyde (MDA) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and xanthine oxidase (XOD) were determined in rat serum, liver, and testes. Feruloyl oligosaccharides significantly increased TAOC level, GSH-Px, and SOD activities, but decreased blood glucose and MDA levels and XOD activity in serum, liver, and testes of diabetic rats compared to diabetic controls. Feruloyl oligosaccharides were, overall, more efficient in mitigating oxidative damage in diabetic rats than sodium ferulate and vitamin C. In this feruloyl oligosaccharide feeding study, the antioxidant restoring capacity varied across the tissues observed, and also the activity change of the various antioxidant enzymes varied within a single tissue. Feruloyl oligosaccharides showed greater antioxidant capacity in vivo than in vitro when compared with vitamin C.