Influence of Flaxseed on Some Biochemical Factors, Antioxidant Activity and Expression of ABCG5 and ABCG8 Genes in the Liver of Diabetic Rat

Aims: The aim of this experiment is to study the effect of flaxseed on lipid profile, antioxidant activity and ATP-cassette binding proteins G5 and G8 (ABCG5 and G8) levels in the liver of diabetic rat.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry and Physiology Research Centre, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences(Kerman, Iran), between 2008 and 2011.
Methodology: rats randomly were divided into three groups: diabetic rat + flaxseed (treatment group), diabetic rat (control group I), healthy rat (control group II). Afterward one month Serum lipid parameters and also Super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. ABCG5 and ABCG8 levels were determined by RT-PCR.
Results: Flaxseed markedly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) (all of them P<0.05). GSH, SOD (P<0.05) as well as liver ABCG5 and ABCG8 were significantly increased (P<0.01) in flaxseed treated-animals compared with diabetic group.
Conclusion: The results of this experiment showed that flaxseed has antioxidant and ani-atherogenic effect. This plant reduced cholesterol levels may be via ABCG5 and ABCG8 transporters in diabetic rats.