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Klinsmann Carolo dos Santos [1; 2] and Bianca Guerra Bueno [1] and Luana Ferreira Pereira [1] and Fabiane Valentini Francisqueti [1] and Mariana Gobbo Braz [1] and Lahis Fernandes Bincoleto [1] and Lilian Xavier da Silva [3] and Ana Lúcia A. Ferreira [1] and Ana Cláudia de Melo Stevanato Nakamune [3] and C.-Y. Oliver Chen [2] and Jeffrey B. Blumberg [2] and Camila Renata Corrêa [1]

Academic Editor: Luigi Milella

1, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Medical School, Botucatu, SP, Brazil, unesp.br

2, Antioxidants Research Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA, tufts.edu

3, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Dentistry School, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil, unesp.br

Received Mar 15, 2017; Revised Jun 6, 2017; Accepted Jun 12, 2017

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

1. Introduction

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) occurs by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells, leading to insulin deficiency and loss of glycemic control. The hyperglycemia that occurs in diabetes increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and weakens antioxidant defense, resulting in enhanced oxidative stress [1]. ROS mediate several biochemical and molecular pathways that can exacerbate oxidative stress [2], such as activating the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which increases the transcription of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines [3] promoting inflammation. Moreover, uncontrolled ROS generation could also attack the cellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids leading to cellular dysfunction including loss of energy metabolism, alteration on cell signaling and cell cycle control, mutations, and inflammation. In addition, it plays a role in several pathological processes in skeletal muscle [4]. These reactive species are important signaling molecules necessary for muscle function and for adaptive response to stress [5]. However, overproduction of ROS and decrease of the antioxidant defense have negative impact on muscle function, as impaired muscle growth and strength and altered metabolic capacity [6].

Medicinal plants are widely used as alternative therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of diseases. Recently, great attention has been paid to the use of natural compounds, due to their nutritional and pharmacological characteristics [7].

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius [Poepp....

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