Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is characterized by
insulin resistance and relative
insulin insufficiency, has become the most common chronic
metabolic disease threatening global health. The preferred
therapies for T2DM include lifestyle interventions and the use of anti-diabetic drugs. However, considering their adverse reactions, it is important to find a low-toxicity and effective functional food or drug for diabetes prevention and treatment.
Astaxanthin is a potent
antioxidant carotenoid found in marine organisms has been reported to prevent diet-induced
insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. To investigate the anti-diabetic effects of
astaxanthin, male Wistar rats were fed a high-energy diet for 4 weeks, followed by a low dose
streptozotocin (STZ) injection to induce the diabetes model, and the rats were then fed an
astaxanthin-containing diet for another 3 weeks.
Astaxanthin significantly decreased
blood glucose and total
cholesterol (TC) levels, and increased blood levels of
high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in STZ-induced diabetic rats in a dose dependent manner. These results were associated with increased expression of
insulin sensitivity related genes (
adiponectin, adipoR1, and adipoR2) in vivo, thereby attenuating STZ-induced diabetes. In addition, we also compared the anti-diabetic effects of
astaxanthin and
monacolin K, which has been reported to downregulate
hyperlipidemia and
hyperglycemia. The results revealed that
astaxanthin and
monacolin K showed similar anti-diabetic effects in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Therefore,
astaxanthin may be developed as an anti-diabetic agent in the future.