Oleuropein Improves Glucose Tolerance and Lipid Profile in Rats with Simultaneous Renovascular Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes

Oleuropein mediates most of the beneficial effects of olive products. This study examined the role of oxidative stress in the effects of oleuropein on lipid profile and blood glucose in rats with simultaneous renovascular hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Eight groups (n = 7-9 each) of male Sprague-Dawley rats including a control, a type 2 diabetic, a renovascular hypertensive, a sham, a simultaneously hypertensive diabetic receiving vehicle, and 3 simultaneously hypertensive-diabetic receiving 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg/day oleuropein were used. Four weeks after treatment, blood glucose, lipid profile, and biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured, and glucose tolerance test (GTT) was performed. Simultaneously hypertensive diabetic rats had significantly higher blood pressure, blood glucose, and serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride and malondialdehyde. They also had lower serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, and impaired glucose tolerance. Oleuropein significantly reduced blood pressure, blood glucose, and serum total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglyceride and malondoaldehyde. It also increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, and improved glucose tolerance. The findings show that the model is associated with impaired glucose tolerance, and adverse lipid profile. They also show that oleuropein, partly by an antioxidant mechanism, improves glucose tolerance and changed lipid profile favorably.