摘要Objective:To investigate the role of red palm oil(RPO), rooibos tea extract(RTE) and their combined treatment(RPO+RTE) on antioxidant status in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic rats.Methods:Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single administration of streptozotocin(50 mg/kg) and the rats were treated for7 weeks.Antioxidant enzymes [catalase(CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase(SOD)], antioxidant capacity [trolox equivalence antioxidant capacity (TEAC), oxygen radical absorbance capacity(ORAC)] as well as total protein, albumin, globulin, total glutathione, conjugated diene and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) were investigated.Results:Treatment withRPO,RTE andRPO+RTE significantly(p>0.05) improved liverSOD and plasmaORAC in the diabetic rats.Similarly, diabetic rats treated withRTE and RPO+RTE enhanced liverGPx.A significant(P<0.05) increase in the plasmaTBARS in the diabetic control group was observed when compared with the normal control group.Treatment of diabetic rats withRTE andRPO+RTE reduced plasmaTBARS to a level not significantly different atP<0.05 from the normal control group. Conclusions:The results revealed the anti-oxidative potentials of red palm oil, rooibos and their combination in diabetic conditions and hence, they could be useful in the management of diabetes and its complications.