Influence of Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers (Helianthus tuberosus L.) on Rats Suffering from Diabetes and its Complications

The present study evaluated the protective potential of Jerusalem Artichoke Tubers powder (JAP) on diabetes and its complications. Thirty male albino rats weighing (150±10g) were divided into two main groups. The first group, 6 rats, was kept as a negative control group fed on a basal diet. The second group, 24 rats, was injected by alloxan to induce diabetes and divided into four equal subgroups as follow; subgroup (1) was fed on the basal diet and kept as a positive control group and subgroups (2,3 and 4) were fed on a basal diet containing 5, 10 and 15% JAP. The obtained results showed that the chemical composition of JAP contained 7.40, 8.21, 1.07, 5.38, 6.15 and 71.79% for moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fiber and total carbohydrates, respectively. While caloric value recorded 329.63 kcal/100g. The amount of total antioxidant capacity was 2482.5mg/100g, and it was toxics-free. Injected animals with alloxan exhibited hyperglycemia, elevation in the liver enzymes activity (AST, ALT, and ALP), lipid fractions (TC, TG, LDL-c, and VLDL-c) and kidney functions (urea, uric acid and creatinine), while observing a reduction in HDL-c and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, and CAT). Treatment with different levels of JAP recorded a gradual improvements in all parameters when compared to the untreated diabetic group. The histological examination of the liver and kidney confirmed a gradual improvement in all treated groups. Crackers were made with proportions 5, 10 & 15% of JAP, sensory evaluation findings indicated that all cracker samples had an overall acceptance greater than 75%.  In conclusion, the current study indicates that JA tubers has an effective impact in lowering blood sugar in diabetic rats, and reducing its complications. JA Tubers powder can be used as a complement in the diet of diabetic patients.