PHYTOPHARMACEUTICAL POTENTIAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL CONSTRAINTS OF ANTHOCYANIN-RICH BRASSICA OLERACEA IN PANCREATIC ISLET PROTECTION

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the phytopharmaceutical potential of Brassica oleracea L. extract by assessing its total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, pancreatic histomorphology, and glycemic response in an experimentally induced diabetic rat model. Methods: A controlled experimental study was conducted using male Wistar rats allocated to a diabetic control group and a B. oleracea extract treatment group. The extract was prepared from purple cabbage using 95% ethanol maceration. TPC was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, while antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Experimental diabetes was induced using alloxan monohydrate at 125 mg/kg. The treatment group received B. oleracea extract at 1,000 mg/kg/day orally for 14 days. Blood glucose levels were assessed before and after treatment. Pancreatic tissue was evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, including assessment of islet morphology and morphologically identified presumptive β-cells. Statistical analysis included independent-samples t-tests and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The extract showed a TPC of 1.98±0.04 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of extract, with a gallic acid calibration correlation coefficient of r=0.9979. DPPH analysis yielded an IC50 of 144.17 mg/L, indicating moderate radical-scavenging activity. Among evaluable animals, blood glucose decreased in 8 of 10 animals (80%) in the B. oleracea group compared with 4 of 10 animals (40%) in the control group; however, the between-group difference was not statistically significant (p=0.361). The mean presumptive β-cell count was 91.0±36.0 cells in the treatment group and 21.7±13.6 cells in the control group. Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative but non-significant association between presumptive β-cell count and change in blood glucose in both the treatment group (r=−0.396, p=0.257) and control group (r=−0.252, p=0.483). Conclusion: B. oleracea extract demonstrated measurable phenolic content and moderate antioxidant activity, accompanied by a descriptive trend toward improved glycemic outcomes and preservation of pancreatic morphology. However, the absence of statistically significant glycemic effects and the limitations of H&E-based presumptive β-cell assessment preclude definitive conclusions regarding β-cell protection. Further studies should incorporate standardized phytochemical profiling, β-cell-specific immunohistochemistry, larger sample sizes, and molecular and pharmacokinetic assessments to establish the pharmacological and pharmaceutical potential of the extract.