Spirulina platensis extract in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits: a combined experimental study of antidiabetic activity in vivo and anticancer ability in vitro

Anfal Noori Abbas; Entisar Qasem Manwar; Faris Shaker Kata; Ahmed Mushin Athbi

Anfal Noori Abbas Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
Entisar Qasem Manwar Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
Faris Shaker Kata Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
Ahmed Mushin Athbi Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq

Keywords: Spirulina platensis, rabbits, diabetes, alloxan, HAMC cell line

Abstract

The present study was designed to study the efficacy of Spirulina platensis algal extract on hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HAMC Cell line), as well as its antidiabetic effect on alloxan-induced diabetic male rabbits. The study included the treatment of 24 male rabbits for four periods (7, 14, 21, 28) of days. The experiment included four groups of rabbits: the negative group, the positive group, the first treatment group and the second treatment group. Each group contained six rabbits. The negative (intact) and positive (diabetic induced), control groups were injected with 1ml of the normal saline and the first treatment group (diabetic induced) was injected with a concentration of 50 mg/kg of the algal extract. In contrast, the second treatment group (diabetic induced) was injected with a concentration of 100 mg/kg of the algal extract. The treatment results with algal extract showed a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in the first and second treatment groups at a level of probability (P<0.05) compared with the positive control group for all periods. The results also showed that the algal extract had efficacy against cancer, as the concentration of 17.2 µg caused the highest HAMC cell line inhibition rate at 62.23%. The current study concluded that Spirulina platensis had therapeutic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits as well as high potential inhibition of cancer cells.