Subacute safety and Antihyperglycemic Effects of Freeze-Dried Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) Powder in Normoglycemic Male and Female Wistar Rats

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) is rich in phytochemicals with potential health benefits. This study investigated the subacute safety, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective effects of freeze-dried beetroot powder (BR) in male and female Wistar rats. Methods: Fifty rats (25/sex) were divided into ten groups (n=5/group/sex). Groups received distilled water (control), glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), or BR at 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg body weight orally for 28 days. Body weight was monitored, and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on day 7. Upon termination, haematological, biochemical, and histological analyses of the liver and kidney were conducted. Results: BR administration did not adversely affect normal growth or cause overt signs of toxicity. In the OGTT, BR (100 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.005) reduced postprandial blood glucose levels in both sexes. Haematological and most biochemical parameters remained within normal ranges. Notably, BR treatment significantly reduced serum bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, indicating hepatoprotective activity. Furthermore, histopathological examination of the liver and kidney revealed normal tissue architecture across all BR-treated groups, corroborating its organ-protective effects. The highest dose (1000 mg/kg) showed some significant alterations in relative organ weights, but without corresponding histological damage