Reduced red blood cell membrane damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats supplemented with roselle (UKMR-2) calyx extract.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aqueous extract of roselle on the membrane composition of red blood cells. A total of 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats (230-250 g) were divided randomly into four groups. Diabetic rats were induced streptozotocin (45 mg kg(-1), i.v). The normal and diabetes groups were administrated with distilled water. The other normal and diabetes group were administrated with roselle aqueous extracts (100 mg kg(-1)). After 28 days, the blood was drawn by sinus orbital for biochemical tests including membrane total protein, cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine and morphology of red blood cells was carried out through light microscope. In diabetic rats, the result showed the weight of rat, membrane total protein and Phosphatidylcholine (PCh) were significantly lower (p<0.05), while blood glucose and membrane cholesterol showed significantly higher (p<0.05) than control rats. In diabetic rats demonstrated with roselle, the result showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in weight and blood glucose compared to diabetic rats. The membrane total protein and PCh were significantly higher (p<0.05) than diabetic rats, whereas membrane cholesterol was significantly lower (p<0.05) compared to diabetic rats. The observation red blood cells morphology that showed echinocytes, schistocytes and Heinz body in diabetic rats was caused by oxidative stress damage. The morphology of red blood cells in diabetic rats supplemented with roselle is normal. Aqueous extract of roselle showed potential protective effects on membrane composition of damaged red blood cells.