糖尿病為世界所關注的慢性新陳代謝異常疾病，其中第2型糖尿病由於體內細胞的胰島素產生阻抗性，細胞無法將葡萄糖帶入細胞內產能利用，使得血糖上升。細胞長期處於高血糖狀態下，產生過多的自由基，造成體內氧化壓力增加。而過量的自由基會抑制葡萄糖代謝中glyceraldehydes-3 phosphate
dehydrogenase(GAPDH)的活性，促使葡萄糖走向多元醇路徑，隨後所產生的慢性併發症更是影響身體的各器官，第2型糖尿病多病逝於併發症。台灣澎湖地區特產的香瓜茄，當地居民相傳是種可緩和糖尿病的水果，所以本研究以水萃及酒精萃的香瓜茄餵食以STZ誘發的第2型糖尿病BALB/C小鼠，來觀察香瓜茄萃取物對於第2型糖尿病小鼠體內的抗氧化系統及多元醇路徑中的關鍵酵素之影響。實驗設計為分別以水萃低劑量(DWL)、水萃高劑量(DWH)、酒精萃低劑量(DAL)、酒精萃高劑量(DAH)的香瓜茄餵食第2型糖尿病小鼠8週後犧牲，採取其血液、肝臟、腎臟進行分析。實驗結果發現，餵食香瓜茄萃取物的組別與糖尿病組相比，血糖及胰島素阻抗性有改善、氧化壓力降低、抗氧化酵素有增加、多元醇路徑中的關鍵酵素aldose reductase(AR)及其終產物皆有下降。依結果顯示，香瓜茄萃取物或許對於第2型糖尿病小鼠的併發症有延緩發生的效果。
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease worldwide. Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients have insulin resistance, which leads to glucose fail to transport for energy metabolism and causes hyperglycemia. When cells are exposed to hyperglycemia for a long time, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases and enhances oxidative stress. Diabetes-induced overproduction of free radicals also causes a decrease in the activity of glyceraldehydes-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in glycolysis, which further results in an increased conversion of glucose into polyol pathway and develops progressive diabetic complications. According to the folk medicine, the fruit of Pepino melon pear is able to improve diabetes. Therefore, we design a project to observe the effects of Pepino melon pear upon antioxidant defense and polyol pathway in STZ-induced type 2 diabetes BALB/C mice. After feeding water extracted and alcohol extracted Pepino melon pear at low and high doses for eight weeks, collect the serum, liver and kidney were collected to analyze. Result showed that Pepino melon pear improved glycemic control, insulin resistance, decreased oxidative damage, increased antioxidant defense, and attenuated the activity of aldose reductase. From these deta must support that the extract of Pepino melon pear were delaier the development of diabetes complications in type 2 diabetic mice.
