Research Article

Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Antioxidant Defense, Oxidative Modification, and Salivary Gland Function in a Rat Model of Insulin Resistance

Table 1

Effect of NAC supplementation on body weight, fasting plasma glucose, insulin concentration HOMA-IR, food intake, unstimulated and stimulated saliva secretion, protein concentration, and salivary gland weight.

C ()
M (min–max)
C + NAC ()
M (min–max)
HFD ()
M (min–max)
HFD + NAC ()
M (min–max)

Final body weight (g)282 (260–298)286 (261–319)345 (326–364)305 (250–304)
Glucose (mg/dL)89 (86–93)95 (92–97)145 (130–161)95 (87–99)
Insulin (mIU/mL)79.70 (29.3–92.36)80.48 (42.22–96.96)166.42 (158.2–176.88)61.25 (39.55–81.18)
HOMA-IR3.64 (1.87–6.15)5.67 (2.45–6.25)19.60 (15.45–21.05)4.33 (2.54–5.10)
Food intake (mg/day/rat)17.68 (16.43–18.45)16.92 (15.98–19.23)11.82 (10.01–13.63)12.25 (10.21–13.89)
Energy from chow (MJ/day/rat)0.16 (0.15–0.18)0.15 (0.14–0.19)0.26 (0.22–0.29)0.27 (0.22–0.30)∗∗
NS (μL/min)0.43 (0.41–0.58)0.43 (0.40–0.51)0.40 (0.25–0.55)0.46 (0.30–0.50)
SS (μL/min)109.67 (104.58–121.37)91.84 (82.20–102.8)68.60 (56.38–70.40)115.25 (96.67–152.63)
Parotid weight (mg)76.22 (74.10–79.90)79.52 (72.90–87.60)99.46 (91.00–112.10)92.55 (81.10–112.20)
Submandibular weight (mg)211.64 (184.10–240.20)208.52 (192.60–222.90)250.04 (216.40–273.00)264.38 (221.90–304.20)

C: control rats; C + NAC: control rats + N-acetylcysteine; HFD: high-fat fed rats; HFD + NAC: high-fat fed rats + N-acetylcysteine; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; NS: nonstimulated saliva secretion; SS: stimulated saliva secretion: M (min–max): median (minimum–maximum). HFD and HFD + NAC; HFD and C; HFD + NAC and C.