EVALUATION OF ANTIDIABETIC AND HYPOLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF CHITOOLIGOSACCHARIDES IN ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETES MELLITUS IN MICE

This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of chitooligosaccharides (COS) on alloxaninduced type II insulin dependent, diabetes mellitus in mice. The effect of aqueous solution of chitooligosaccharides at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight was found to be a potent antidiabetic agent that reduces blood glucose significantly in diabetic mice. Serum lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, Low density lipoprptein and Very Low density lipoprptein cholesterol), urea, creatinine and various enzymes of glucose metabolism (Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase and alkaline phosphatases) showed significant decrease in the diabetic group treated with aqueous solution of COS when compared with the diabetic group. The study reveals that COS has significant antidiabetic activity and hypolipidemic activity in alloxan induced and normal mice. The COS solution seems promising for the development of a medicine for diabetes mellitus.