Antioxidant activity and blood glucose reduction potential of Malabar Chestnut in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats

Ability of plants to prevent degenerative diseases is based on the biological activities of their bioactive components. Bioactive components are more biologically available for the body to utilize when the plant undergo processing which aid their potential in treatment and management of several chronic diseases like diabetes. Thus, the present study evaluated the effect of processing (cooking and roasting) on antioxidant activity and blood glucose reduction potential of Malabar Chestnut Seeds (MCSs) in Streptozotocin (STZ) Induced Diabetic Rats. Fresh MCSs were divided into three portion. First portion were cooked at 100 °C for 20 min (Cooked), second portion were roasted at 200 °C for 40 min (Roasted) while, the last portion were used as fresh MCSs (Raw). Rattus norvegicus were obtained and grouped in number of 5 rats per sample. The antioxidant activities assay shows that processing (cooking and roasting) enhanced free radical scavenging ability of MCSs samples against DPPH which ranged from 41.27% in raw to 58.77% in roasted. Glycemic index of cooked and roasted MCSs (42.29% and 37.77%) were also observed to be lower than 44.78% obtained in raw MCSs. Low density lipoprotein concentration (99.74 and 86.78 mg/dl) of rats fed on processed (cooked and roasted) MCSs samples shows ameliorating potential compared with 113.01 mg/dl obtained in rats induced with STZ and fed with Chow only. Highest blood glucose level reduction potential (73.90%) was obtained in roasted MCSs followed by cooked MCSs (70.09%). These values were higher than 0.43% and 67.45% obtained in STZ induced rats fed on chow and acarbose (2.0 mg/day) respectively. The study established that processing of MCSs enhanced free radical scavenging abilities, lower glycemic index (<43%), increase antidiabetic and antihypercholesterol ameliorating potentials. However, roasted MCSs may be recommended for formulation of functional foods as its showed highest activities in antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticholesterol potentials.