The Effect of Red Onion Peel and Fortified Bread with These Peels on Kidney Function, Liver Enzymes, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Diabetic Rats

ABSTRACT
          The study aims to investigate the effects of diets containing two levels of red onion peels and bread fortified with these peels on nutrition status, some biochemical analysis, and histopathological examination of the kidney in rats suffering from diabetes. Forty-eight male albino rats were used in this study. The rats were divided into two main groups, as follows: The first main group (12 rats) was divided into two subgroups, as follows: Subgroup (1): fed on a basal diet (as a negative control group). Subgroup (2): fed on a diet containing 250 g of unfortified bread per kg of diet (as a control negative group, also). The second main group (36 rats) was injected with alloxan to induce hyperglycemia. The rats in the second main group were divided into six equal subgroups as follows: Subgroup (1) was fed a diet containing 250 g of unfortified bread per kg of diet (as a positive control group). Subgroups 2 and 3 were fed diets containing the best two samples of bread estimated by the sensory evaluation (250 g fortified bread with 10% and 15% red onion peels per kg diet, respectively). Subgroup (4) was fed a basal diet (as a positive control group also). Subgroups 5 and 6 were fed diets containing the amounts of red onion peels present in 250 g fortified bread with a 10% and 15% red onion peels/kg diet, respectively. The results indicated that alloxan increased kidney weight, glucose in serum, kidney functions, liver enzymes, while this treatments decreased feed intake and antioxidant enzymes in the liver. Treating diabetic rats with diets containing fortified bread with two levels of red onion peels ("ROP") (10 and 15%) and also the peels used in preparing this bread improved all of these parameters and the histopathological changes in the kidney as compared to non-treated diabetic rats. Conclusion: Red onion peels and bread fortified with these peels can be used to reduce the side effects of diabetes.