Evaluation of the number of insulin-positive β-cells in experimental groups.

<p>Rats were divided into negative-control and diabetic-control groups and were then treated with <i>V</i>. <i>rufa</i> extract (500 mg/kg) or glibenclamide (6 mg/kg). The presence of insulin-positive β-cells was analyzed in the islets of Langerhans in 5-μm cuts stained with rabbit anti-insulin (n = 5 animals per group, two independent replicates). (A–F) Immunohistochemical images of insulin-positive cells. Areas marked in red delimit islets, and arrows point to positive cells (brown). (G) Quantification of insulin-positive cells per mm² in all experimental groups. (H, I) Comparison of number of insulin-positive cells in nondiabetic and diabetic groups, respectively. (J) Comparison of number of insulin-positive cells in diabetics vs. nondiabetics. Lowercase letters indicate statistically significant differences between groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05).</p

Evaluation of variation in body weight and blood glucose concentrations of experimental groups.

<p>Body weight and blood glucose concentrations were measured initially and after 21 and 43 days of daily treatment (n = 5 animals per group, two independent replicates). Rats were divided into negative-control and diabetic groups and were then treated with <i>V</i>. <i>rufa</i> extract (500 mg/kg) or glibenclamide (6 mg/kg). (A) Rate of variation (Δ) in body weight, which was obtained by dividing the mean of Δ of the body weight in the percentage by Δ of the days of experiment. *<i>p</i> < 0.05. (B) Blood glucose concentrations, which were obtained and compared among different groups. Lowercase letters indicate statistically significant differences between values (<i>p</i> < 0.05).</p

Total cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), _γ-GT, aspartate amino transferase (AST), and alanine amino transferase (ALT) levels of nondiabetic (ND) and diabetic (D) rats after daily administration of water, 500 mg/kg <i>Vochysia rufa</i> extract (V), or 6 mg/kg glibenclamide (G) for 43 days (n = 5 animals per group, two independent replicates).

<p>Total cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), _γ-GT, aspartate amino transferase (AST), and alanine amino transferase (ALT) levels of nondiabetic (ND) and diabetic (D) rats after daily administration of water, 500 mg/kg <i>Vochysia rufa</i> extract (V), or 6 mg/kg glibenclamide (G) for 43 days (n = 5 animals per group, two independent replicates).</p

Typical electropherogram of <i>V</i>. <i>rufa</i> crude extract.

<p>(A) Electropherogram and (B) CE-MS spectrum of the <i>V</i>. <i>rufa</i> crude extract (obtained as described in the <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0184807#sec002" target="_blank">Materials and methods</a>). The hexose sugars inositol (1), galactose (2), glucose (3), and fructose (4) were detected at <i>m/z</i> 179. Sucrose (5) and another disaccharide (6) were detected at <i>m/z</i> 341. Arabinose (7) and xylose (8) were detected at <i>m/z</i> 149.</p