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Animal Research International (2005) 2(1): 227 – 230 227EFFECTS OF PALM OIL ON SOME OXIDATIVE INDICES OF ALLOXANINDUCED DIABETIC RABBITSOGUGUA Victor Nwadiogbu and IKEJIAKU Chukwuemeka AfamDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka NigeriaCorresponding Author: Dr. OGUGUA V. N. Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, NsukkaNigeriaABSTRACTThe effects of palm oil on oxidative indices of alloxan induced diabetic rabbits wereinvestigated. The result obtained showed that palm oil significantly decreased (P < 0.05), lipidperoxidation in diabetic treated animals. The vitamin C (antioxidant vitamin) level increasedsignif icantly (P < 0. 05) in the supplemented group but decreased signif icantly (P < 0.05) innon supplemented group. The glucose levels in both the diabetic supplemented group and nonsupplemented group were not significantly diff erent (P > 0. 05). The results indicate that palmoil supplementation decreased the level of lipid peroxidation but increased the level o fvitamin C, an indication that palm oil can attenuate oxidative stress generated in diabeticcondition. This result may suggest that supplementation of palm oil may be effective in themanagement of diabetes mellitus.Keywords: Red palm oil, Diabetes mellitus, Antioxidant, Oxidative stress, Lipid peroxidationINTRODUCTIONThe pathogenesis of many diseases involve freeradical – mediated lipid peroxidation of biologicalmembrane (Eze, et al., 1993; Eze, 1992; Ogugua,2000) Diabetes mellitus and its complications havebeen associated with oxidative stress (Okamoto,1981; Ogugua, 2000). It is reported that theoxidative destruction of the islets of Langerham ofthe pancreas by alloxan leads to diabetes mellitusand is free radical-mediated (Ofordile, 1987;Aruoma, et al., 1991; Ogugua, 2000; Galluzzo, etal., 1990). Membranes are prone to oxidation byreactive oxygen species (ROS) and because of thedevastating complications and health hazardassociated with diabetes mellitus, its managementhas continued to occupy researches in bothmedicine and related discipline (Eze, 1992;Ogugua, 2000; Aruoma, et al., 1991)Diabetes mellitus can only be managed orprevented but not cured. The role of antioxidantnutrients for the management of various diseasesassociated with oxidative stress has been welldocumented (Halliwell, et al., 1992, Gutheridge,1994.) Vitamins A, C, E and B carotene have beenfound useful (Muma, 1994; Ogugua, 1994;Gutheridge, 1994). Thus adequate dietary intakeof vitamin E, a major lipid soluble inhibitor ofperoxidation may be important in inhibiting thedevelopment of disease conditions includingdiabetes mellitus. Palm oil has been found tocontain a lot of vitamin E and other lipid solublevitamin nutrients (Atroshi, et al., 1992; Choo, etal., 1992; Packer, 1992; Gutheridge, 1994).Since this vegetable oil is very common,affordable and used by majority of people acrossthe globe especially in the tropics, its use asantidote to prevent some oxidative stress relateddiseases and complications is advocated. Asreported else where (Choo, et al., 1992; Atroshi, etal., 1992) that palm oil contains mainly vitamin E,a major chain-breaking antioxidant in themembrane, it is the thrust of this work to studythe effects of palm oil supplementation on someoxidative indices in alloxan induced diabeticrabbits. The outcome of the work may becomeuseful in the management of human diabetics.MATERIALS AND METHODSPalm oil was bought from Nsukka local market andused for the experiment. Twelve albino rabbitsweighing (2.5 kg on the average) were boughtfrom Chigbo rabbitary Research Centre AwkaAnambra State, Nigeria. The animals were kept fortwo weeks in laboratory to acclimatize with theenvironment. They were grouped into threegroups of four rabbits each namely group 1(normal rabbits), group 2 (diabetic rabbits but nottreated with palm oil) and group 3 (diabetic rabbitsbut treated with palm oil). Diabetes was inducedby administration of alloxan at 180 mg/kg bodyweight. The test diabetic animals (group 3) weregiven 5 ml of palm oil orally twice a day for twoweeks. Blood samples were collected from the earveins of the animals for the assay.Malondialdehyde (MDA) level wasestimated by the method of Albro et al (1986) andDas et al (1990). The thiobarbituric acid procedureemploys the reaction of thiobarbituric acid withmalondialdehyde to form a red chromogen whichabsorbs at 532nm. The concentration is