An In Vivo Experimental Study on Protective Effect of Mangiferin in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Rats

The work aimed to investigate the protective effects of mangiferin in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) rats. Forty-two pregnant rats were randomly divided into control, model and mangiferin groups, 14 rats in each group. The GDM model was established in model and mangiferin groups by intraperitoneal injection with streptozotocin. Then, the mangiferin group was treated with 50 mg/kg mangiferin for two weeks. After treatment, the blood glucose, lipid and inflammatory response indexes, pancreatic tissue oxidative stress indexes, and apoptosis of islet cells were determined. Results showed that, compared with model group, in mangiferin group the fasting blood glucose level was significantly decreased, the fasting blood insulin level was significantly increased, the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly decreased, the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was significantly increased, the serum C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor a and interleukin 6 levels were significantly decreased, the pancreatic tissue superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activities were significantly increased, the pancreatic tissue malondialdehyde content was significantly decreased, and the islet cell apoptotic index was significantly decreased (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, mangiferin can mitigate the GDM in rats. The mechanisms may be related to its regulation of glucose-lipid metabolism, decrease of inflammatory response, inhibition of oxidative stress, and reduction of islet cell apoptosis.