Evaluation of antidiabetic properties of cactus pear seed oil in rats

Materials and methods: The hypoglycemic effect of CPSO was evaluated in groups of six healthy Wistar rats given 1 or 2 ml kg-1orally and compared with groups receiving glibenclamide (2 mg kg-1) or water. Glycemia was determined after 30, 60, 120, 240, and 360 min. The antihyperglycemic effect of CPSO was determined in healthy rats and in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ); normal rats received 0.8 ml kg-1CPSO, while diabetic rats received 1 ml kg-1CPSO, their controls received water or 2 mg kg-1glibenclamide. For the antihyperglycemic effect evaluation, all the animals were fasted for 16 h before treatment and received glucose orally at 1 g kg-130 min after treatment; blood was taken after 30, 90, 150, and 210 min. Intestinal glucose absorption was estimated in rat jejunum perfused with a solution containing 5.55 mmol l-1glucose. Acute toxicity was determined in albino mice that received oral or intraperitoneal doses of 1, 3, or 5 ml kg-1CPSO.