Administration of roasted barley and roasted horse gram powders pacified chronic sucrose-induced dysglycemia and dyslipidemia in rats and exerted In Vitro potent antioxidative stress effect

Background: Sugar-enriched diets/beverages consumption aggravates dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and weight gain. If unchecked, these disturbances culminate into diabetes. Indian medical classics advise consumption of roasted barley (BR) and roasted horse gram (HG) to resolve such issues. Objective: To investigate impact of BR and HG in chronic sucrose-induced dysglycemic rats. Materials and Methods: Dysglycemia was induced in rats by oral feeding of 40% sucrose solution continuously for 2 months. Later, rats were treated with test samples at a dose of 4 g/kg body weight twice a day for 1 month after withdrawal of sucrose feeding. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed at the end of experimental period. Biochemical and hematological parameters were analyzed accordingly. Nutritional contents and antioxidative stress activities in food grain powders were evaluated. Results: Chronic sucrose feeding induced glucose intolerance and weight gain. Mere sucrose withdrawal in the absence of supportive therapy aggravated glucose intolerance. Increase in plasma triglycerides, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase and disturbances in hematological parameters were also observed. BR and HG treatment pacified sucrose-induced biochemical metabolic disturbances and improved hematological parameters. BR was superior in normalizing disturbances than horse gram. These grains possess potent antioxidant activities and antioxidative stress properties and are rich source of micronutrient vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and fatty acids. Conclusion: Consumption of these food grains may resolve and normalize sucrose-induced metabolic, biochemical, and hematological disturbances. Multiple therapeutic properties originating through phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids in totality may be responsible for observed beneficial effects.