Effects of ergothioneine on diabetic embryopathy in pregnant rats

Michelle Guijarro-Fuertes, A. Indart, Okezie I. Aruoma, Marta Viana, Bartolomé Bonet
In: Food and Chemical Toxicology · 2002 · vol. 40(12) , pp. 1751–1755 · doi:10.1016/s0278-6915(02)00177-1 · PMID:12419688 · W2035160979
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Abstract

The natural antioxidant ergothioneine (2-mercaptohistidine trimethylbetaine) is a fungal metabolite and found in most plant and animal tissues. The effect of ergothioneine on diabetic embryopathy in rats was assessed. Supplementation of diabetic pregnant rats with L-ergothioneine (1.147 mg/kg body weight) daily for the first 11.5 days of pregnancy reduced the rate of embryo malformations, to values similar to the non-diabetic animals. The ergothioneine had no effect on the plasma glucose levels, both in diabetic and control animals. We conclude that the inhibition of the glucose-mediated free radical dependent embryo malformation by ergothioneine is an important antioxidant prophylactic mechanism, which when combined with vitamin E could benefit the management of diabetic embryopathy.

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