ABSTRACT Chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) is a nutritious food that contains bioactive peptides with hypoglycemic and antihyperglycemic activities. This study evaluated the antidiabetic effects of chickpea albumin hydrolysate (CAH) in rats with hyperglycemia induced by a high‐fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). The CAH peptide profile was analyzed by liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry. Five groups ( n = 6) were established: one healthy control (HC) and four diabetic groups: diabetic control (DC), metformin (500 mg/kg body weight, b.w.; MET), CAH (200 mg/kg b.w.; H200), and CAH (400 mg/kg b.w.; H400). Food intake, body weight, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were assessed weekly, and an oral sucrose tolerance test (OSTT) was performed. Blood and liver were analyzed for biochemical parameters (glucose and lipid profile), renal (urea and creatinine) and hepatic function (AST, ALT, and ALP), oxidative stress markers (GSH and MDA), gluconeogenic (PEPCK and G6Pase), and pentose phosphate (G6PD) enzymes, and PI3K/AKT and AMPK signaling pathways. CAH presented peptides predicted to inhibit DPPIV and α‐glucosidase. OSTT showed that CAH (H200 and H400) reduced blood glucose levels by 18.6% and 22.8%, respectively, while metformin reduced them by 41.6%. CAH and metformin improved the lipid profile, decreased urea and creatinine levels, and attenuated elevations in hepatic enzymes. They showed antioxidant effects by increasing GSH and reducing MDA levels. CAH‐treated rats showed pancreatic tissue restoration, reduced PEPCK and G6Pase activities, and increased G6PD activity. Exploratory immunoblotting analyses revealed qualitative differences in the phosphorylation of AMPK (muscle and liver) and AKT (muscle), which may be associated with the metabolic effects of CAH. These findings suggest that chickpea bioactive peptides could be helpful in the management of diabetes.
Navarro‐Leyva et al. (Mon,) studied this question.