Metabolic changes in melatonin and high fat diet-treated rats

Abstract EN

This work was carried out to study the effect of melatonin on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in male albino rats.

Animals were divided into 4 groups.

Control group.

melatonin-treated group, high fat fed-group, and, high fat + melatonin-treated- group.

Plasma glucose and insulin levels as well as glucose uptake by skeletal muscle (diaphragm) were assessed.

In addition plasma lipoproteins profile as plasma triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C) were also measured.

Melatonin-treated + normally fed group showed significant hyperglycemia, while the changes in glucose uptake and plasma lipoproteins were statistically insignificant.

On the other hand, melatonin administration to rats fed high fat diet resulted in significant hyperglycemia and significant decrease in glucose uptake together with significant reduction in plasma insulin level compared to diet matched group.

Also melatonin resulted in significant reduction of TG, TC, and LDL-C associated with significant increase in HDL-C plasma levels.

It is concluded that melatonin administration was associated with hyperglycemia, decrease glucose uptake and hypolipidemia.

Such effect was marked when it administered to rats on high fat diet.