Beneficial effects of banana (Musa sp var. elakki bale) flower and pseudostem on hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes is a chronic health problem and major cause of death in most of the countries. Diet management plays an important role in controlling diabetes and its complications along with insulin and drugs. We have examined the effect of banana (Musa sp. var. elakki bale) flower and pseudostem on hyperglycemia and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Our results indicated that banana flower and pseudostem have low glycemic index and have a high content of dietary fiber and antioxidants. Diabetic symptoms like hyperglycemia, polyuria, polyphagia, polydipsia, urine sugar, and body weight were ameliorated in banana flower-and pseudostem-treated rats. Increased glomerular filtration rate in the diabetic group (5.1 +/- 0.22 ml/min) was decreased in banana flower-fed (2.5 +/- 0.37 ml/min) and pseudostem-fed (3.0 +/- 0.45 ml/min) groups and were significant at P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively. Fructosamine and AGEs formed during diabetes were inhibited in treated groups when compared with the diabetic group. The diabetic group showed 11.5 +/- 0.64 mu g of AGEs/mg protein in kidney, whereas, in banana flower-and pseudostem-fed groups, it was reduced to 9.21 +/- 0.32 and 9.29 +/- 0.24 mu g/mg protein, respectively, and were significant at P<0.01. These findings suggest that banana flower and pseudostem have anti-diabetic and anti-AGEs properties and are beneficial as food supplements for diabetics.