Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a metabolic disease linked to multiple comorbidities, such as low-grade inflammation. β-pinene, a monoterpene commonly found in aromatic plants, is endowed with anti-inflammatory effect and this fact lead us to investigate the possible hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory effects of the monoterpene in the alloxan-induced diabetes experimental model. METHODS: Male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were treated orally with β-pinene (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) or glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), for seven consecutive days. Diabetes was induced by alloxan (40 mg/kg) through the penile vein. On the seventh day of treatment, blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. The anti-inflammatory effect of β-pinene was evaluated using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model, followed by the carrageenan-induced peritonitis. RESULTS: The treatment with β-pinene decreased plasma glucose, triglyceride, VLDL, LDL, and HDL levels, when compared to those of the control group. In addition, the association β-pinene 10 mg/kg + glibenclamide 2 mg/kg significantly decreased blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride level. Finally, oral treatment with β-pinene reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema and leukocyte migration in the peritoneum. Taken together, our results indicate that β-pinene shows hypoglycemic and hypolipemic effects, which may involve some common mechanisms of glibenclamide. Besides, the monoterpene presented an anti-inflammatory action in diabetic rats that needs further investigation in order to clarify such effect and its correlation with the alterations observed in plasma parameters of β-pinene-treated diabetic rats.