Free and bound
polyphenol extracts of Zingiber officinale rhizome were investigated for their
antidiabetic potential in the pancreatic and renal tissues of diabetic rats at a dose of 500mg/kg
body weight. Forty Wistar rats were completely randomized into five groups: A-E consisting of eight animals each. Group A (control) comprises normal healthy animals and were orally administered 1.0mL distilled water on a daily basis for 42 days while group B-E were made up of 50mg/kg
streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Group C and D received 1.0mL 500mg/kg
body weight free and bound
polyphenol extracts respectively while group E received 1.0mL 0.6mg/kg of
glibenclamide. Administration of the extracts to the diabetic rats significantly reduced (p<0.05) serum
glucose and
urea concentrations, increased (p<0.05) serum
insulin and Homeostatic Model Assessment for β-cell dysfunction (HOMA-β) while the level of
creatinine and Homeostatic Model Assessment for
Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were not affected. Histological examination of the pancreas and kidney revealed restoration of the structural derangements caused by
streptozotocin in the
polyphenol extracts treated diabetic rats compared to the control groups. Therefore,
polyphenols from Zingiber officinale could ameliorate diabetes-induced pancreatic and renal derangements in rats.