Coencapsulation of Synbiotics for the evaluation of in vivo antidiabetic activity

Glucose is the main source of energy for the body c ells and different organisms possess different leve ls of glucose levels in their body. Change in levels of blood glu cose leads to either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. When the body fails to regulate blood glucose levels correct ly and the levels go beyond the normal range, one b ecomes diabetic. Diabetes is a chronic disease and can ev en lead to death. Synbiotics; a combination of probiotics and prebiotics show beneficial health effects to the ho st and the effects vary with strain of probiotic an d type of prebiotic used. The current study was performed to determine the hypoglycemic potential of the coencapsulated pr ebiotic (lactulose) and probiotic (Lactobacillus casei subs p. casei 17@10 9 cells/ml) in vivo. Encapsulation was done using Sodium Alginate (3.5%) & Calcium Chloride (75mM), r esulting in the formation of calcium alginate beads of synbiotics. Glibenclamide was taken as positive control. Alloxan (150 mg kg -1 b.wt. i.e. 50 mg kg -1 b.wt.) was used to induce diabetes in animals. Acute and subacute stud ies were conducted on alloxan induced diabetic mice . Results showed that encapsulated form of synbiotics were mo re efficient in lowering down the blood glucose lev els as compared to unencapsulated form.