The Anti-oxidant and the Anti-diabetic Effects of Terminalia chebula and Withania somnifera in Subclinically Diabetic Dogs

Background: The present study evaluated the antioxidant as well as the anti-diabetic potential of Terminalia chebula (Haritaki) and Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) in subclinically diabetic dogs.Methods: A total of thirty subclinically diabetic dogs were divided into five groups of six animals each; Group I (Positive control), Group II (T. chebula extract), Group III (W. somnifera extract), Group IV (T. chebula and W. somnifera extracts at 1:1 ratio) and Group V (N- acetylcysteine). Six apparently healthy dogs were kept as negative control (Group VI) for the study. The animals were evaluated based on diabetic biomarkers (Random blood glucose, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, serum fructosamine and serum insulin) and oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities) on days 0, 15 and 30 of the study.Result: Significant oxidative stress was observed in the subclinically diabetic dogs and the supplementation of N- acetylcysteine, T. chebula and W. somnifera effectively curbed the oxidative impairments and further progression of diabetes. The improvement in oxidative, as well as diabetic biomarkers, was predominant in Group V animals, followed by Group IV, Group II and Group III. It may be concluded that therapeutic modulation of redox mechanisms may aid in the clinical management of subclinical diabetes mellitus, however, the mechanisms involved should be further explored.

The Influence of Skin Thickness on Flash Glucose Monitoring System Accuracy in Dogs with Diabetes Mellitus

A flash glucose monitoring system (FGMS) has been validated for use in diabetic dogs. However, it is unknown whether skin thickness affects FGMS measurements. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether FGMS accuracy is affected by skin thickness. Fourteen client-owned diabetic dogs on insulin treatment were prospectively enrolled in the study. The dogs were divided into two groups according to their ultrasound-measured skin thickness: dogs with skin thickness < 5 mm (Group 1) and dogs with skin thickness > 5 mm (Group 2). On days 1, 7 and 14, glucose curves were obtained simultaneously using the FGMS and a validated portable blood glucose meter. Paired measurements were used to calculate the mean bias and to determine accuracy according to ISO 15197:2013 criteria. The mean bias was significantly inversely correlated (p = 0.02; r = −0.6) with the mean skin thickness. Clinical accuracy was observed only in Group 2, with 99% of the results in zone A + B of the Parkes consensus error grid analysis. In conclusion, skin thickness seems to affect FGMS measurements, and the device is accurate in dogs with thicker skin (>5 mm); in dogs with thin skin (<5 mm), the clinical accuracy is low, and the results should be interpreted with caution.