ANTIGLYCATION AND ANTIAGGREGATION POTENTIAL OF THYMOQUININE

Abstract

Objectives: The consequences of Diabetes are manifested due to the accumulation of glucose. The carbonyl group of sugars reacts with the amino group of proteins leading to generation of harmful products collectively known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These products have been shown to be involved in the various secondary complications of Diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. The present study involves the assessment of role of Thymoquinone in the process of glycation.

Methods: The in vitro glycation system consisted of BSA and glucose and incubated in the presence and absence of thymoquinone for four weeks at 37 ºC. The amount of glycation products were measured by standard methods like browning, total AGEs by spectrofluorimetry. The aggregation of protein was checked by aggregation index and Congo red assays.  The effect of thymoquinone was also checked on the glycation of DNA and the sample was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis.

Results: The presence of thymoquinone resulted in the decrease in browning and amount of total AGEs significantly. There was also a drastic decrease in the glycation-induced aggregation of BSA and reversal of glycoxidative damage of DNA in the presence of thymoquinone.

Conclusion: It can be concluded from these results that thymoquinone is potential antiglycating agent and it can be used to prevent the glycation-induced damage of biomolecules.