Metabolic profiling reveals the nutraceutical effect of Gongolaria abies-marina and Rosmarinus officinalis extracts in a type 1 diabetes animal model

Nutraceuticals have gained increasing interest, prompting the need to investigate plant extracts for their beneficial properties and potential side effects. This study aimed to assess the nutraceutical effects of environmentally clean extracts from Rosmarinus officinalis and Gongolaria abies-marina (formerly Cystoseira abies-marina (Phaeophyceae)) on the metabolic profile of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. We conducted untargeted LC-QTOF-MS metabolic profiling on six groups of rats: three diabetic groups receiving either a placebo, R. officinalis, or G. abies-marina extracts, and three corresponding control groups. The metabolic analysis revealed significant alterations in the levels of various glycerophospholipids, sterol lipids, and fatty acyls. Both extracts influenced the metabolic profile, partially mitigating diabetes-induced changes. Notably, G. abies-marina extract had a more pronounced impact on the animals' metabolic profiles compared to R. officinalis. In conclusion, our findings suggest that environmentally clean extracts from R. officinalis and G. abies-marina possess nutraceutical potential, as they were able to modulate the metabolic profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. G. abies-marina extract exhibited a more substantial effect on metabolic alterations induced by diabetes compared to R. officinalis. These results warrant further exploration of these plant extracts for their potential in managing diabetes-related metabolic disturbances.