Abstract

The  aim of the study was to evaluate the hypoglycaemic potential of  supplementary Cr in the form of chromium(III) glycinate (CrGly) in the  diabetic model of rats. The experiment was conducted on 40 male Wistar  rats, of which 30 were made diabetic by injection of a single dose of  streptozotocin (55 mg/kg b.m.), while the remaining 10 rats served as  the healthy control. After inducing hyperglycaemia, 2 groups of diabetic  rats (10 rats each) were supplemented with Cr either as CrGly or  chromium(III) picolinate (CrPic) given orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg diet  (about 0.75 mg Cr/kg b.m.) with adequate AIN-93M diet for 7 weeks. At  the termination of experiment, all animals were sacrificed to collect  blood and internal organs for biochemical assays. Blood biochemical  indices and tissular trace element contents (Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr) were  measured and compared with the values of the untreated groups. It was  found that CrGly significantly decreased blood glucose, total  cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels more efficiently  than CrPic. Furthermore, both Cr compounds normalized disturbed the  serum, renal and cardiac molar Cu/Zn ratio, as well as restored the  kidney Zn and Cu levels in rats with hyperglycaemia. Supplementary Cr  did not increase the tissular Cr levels in diabetic rats. The study  confirmed the hypoglycaemic potential of CrGly in the diabetic model of  rats.