Structural alterations in pancreatic islets in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with of bioactive additive on the basis of Gymnema sylvestre
The structural alterations in pancreatic islets in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were studied after the administration of Gymnema sylvestre extract or its composition. Diabetes mellitus was modeled by daily injection of streptozotocin (20 mg/kg for 5 days) and single injection of 0.2 ml of complete Freund's adjuvant. Only the animals with the blood glucose level exceeding 15 mmol/l were included in the experiment. B- and A-endocrinocytes were demonstrated using immunocytochemistry. The proportions of the area of the pancreatic islets, occupied by B- and A-endocrinocytes, as well as the volume fraction of the pancreatic islets within the pancreas, were determined. In the model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, the part of the total islet area occupied by B-endocrinocytes, was diminished in the pancreatic islets located in all the zones of the gland. Prophylactic administration of Gymnema sylvestre extract or its composition tended to restore the area occupied by B-endocrinocytes in the pancreatic islets. These results indicate the equal potency of the composition and extract of Gymnema sylvestre to induce the regeneration of B-endocrinocytes.