Xylitol improves antioxidant, purinergic and cholinergic dysfunction, and lipid metabolic homeostasis in hepatic injury in type 2 diabetic rats

In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of xylitol on glycogen content, oxidative stress, purinergic and cholinergic dysfunction, and lipid dysmetabolism in hepatic tissue of diabetic rats. Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups as follows: normal control (NC), diabetic control (DC), diabetic xylitol 5% (DX5), diabetic xylitol 10% (DX10), and diabetic xylitol 20% (DX20). Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was induced in the diabetic groups, and after the confirmation of diabetes, the xylitol groups were supplied with their respective solutions. After 8 weeks intervention period, the animals were humanely sacrificed, and their hepatic tissues were harvested. Treatment with 10% xylitol compared with the other treatment groups had significantly (p <.05) higher liver glycogen level, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and ENTPase activities, with concomitant reduction in malondialdehyde MDA level, ATPase and acetylcholinesterase activities. It further modulated lipid metabolism and restored hepatic morphology. The data suggest that xylitol at 10% had a better therapeutic effect against hepatic dysfunction associated with T2D. However, further clinical studies are still required to affirm these findings. Practical applications: The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing progressively. Maintaining normal control of glucose metabolism and homeostatic glycemic levels is a key management strategy in delaying the onset of diabetic-related complications. The use of foods sweetened with sugar alcohols has brought an escalating interest, particularly among diabetic patients. Xylitol has been reported as a potential antidiabetic sweetener in various studies. Our findings in this study have shown that a 10% xylitol dietary dose can be used as a potential functional food additive for the alleviation of hepatic complications associated with T2D.