Protective effects of C-Phycocyanin from Spirulina platensis against pancreatic inflammation, lymphocyte infiltration, impaired carbohydrate digestion, and glucose metabolism dysregulation in diabetic rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of C-phycocyanin (CPC), a natural food coloring extracted from Spirulina platensis (Sp), on pancreatic inflammation, digestive enzyme activity, and glucose metabolism in alloxan-induced diabetic male Wistar rats. The toxicity test of CPC shows no toxicity even at a dose of up to 1 g/kg, as confirmed by physiological controls and biochemical studies. The parameters analyzed include liver and kidney dysfunction indices as well as the lipid profile. Over 21 days, diabetic rats received oral administration of CPC at doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight (bw). The findings revealed that CPC significantly suppressed lymphocyte infiltration, as evidenced by histological evaluation. It also inhibited key enzymes associated with pancreatic inflammation, including 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), hyaluronidase (HAase), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and NADPH oxidase (NOX2), leading to activity reductions of 48, 41, 75, and 47 %, respectively. (CPC) exerts antioxidant activity, as evidenced by its ability to reduce hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and total oxidant status (TOS) levels while enhancing total antioxidant status (TAS). Consequently, it leads to a 59 % reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in the pancreas, indicating a significant decrease in oxidative stress. Additionally, there was approximately a 164 % increase in nitric oxide (NO) levels, suggesting enhanced production. CPC also exhibited strong inhibitory effects on intestinal lipase, α-amylase, maltase, and sucrose, contributing to a significant decrease in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Furthermore, CPC regulated key hepatic enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, including hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P), and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP). This regulation led to a 56 % reduction in glucose levels and a 163 % increase in insulin level compared to untreated diabetic rats, demonstrating its therapeutic potential in combating diabetes-related complications. • The stability of CPC has been evaluated based on food industry processes such as pH, storage conditions, and temperature. • CPC inhibits pancreatic inflammation by reducing lymphocyte infiltration and modulating inflammatory enzymes. • CPC reduces oxidative stress in the pancreas by decreasing oxidative markers such as TBARS and H 2 O 2 levels. • CPC lowers the activity of digestive enzymes, such as α-amylase and lipase. • CPC enhances metabolic enzyme regulation and blood glucose control by reducing glucose levels.