EFFECTS OF SILYMARIN ON RED BLOOD CELLS OSMOTIC FRAGILITY IN OBESITY ASSOCIATED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

摘要

Silymarin is a flavonoid mixture known to exert hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study we investigated a new issue, i.e the effects of silymarin on the osmotic fragility of red blood cells (RBCs) membrane in obese Type 2 diabetic patients, a condition characterised by a high systemic oxidative stress that may affect the plasmalemma of circulating cells. RBCs of normal healthy subjects were used as control. The results showed that: (a) RBC plasmalemma of obese Type 2 diabetic patients had an augmented osmotic fragility and was more sensitive to the osmotic shock (vs. RBCs of normal subjects), (b) in vitro silymarin exerted dose-dependent and pathology-dependent effects on RBCs osmotic fragility; a concentration of 7.5 mug/mL silymarin (corresponding to the level attained in circulation after in vivo administration) diminished the osmotic fragility of RBCs of obese diabetic patients.