Hebatollah E Eitah1, Yousreya A Maklad2, Noha F Abdelkader3, Amina A Gamal El Din4, Manal A Badawi4, Sanaa A Kenawy3. 1. Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Pharmacology Group, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt. Electronic address: Noha.fawzy@pharma.cu.edu.eg. 2. Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Pharmacology Group, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt. 3. Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. 4. Pathology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Since many diabetic patients require combination therapy, the use of herbal remedies with anti-diabetic activity represents a vital option in diabetes mellitus (DM) management. It has been reported that quercetin has hypoglycemic alongside anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. AIM: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of combining quercetin with sitagliptin; a selective dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor, in the management of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: DM was induced by a single injection of STZ (45 mg/kg, i.p.) in male adult albino Wistar rats. Diabetic rats were orally treated with sitagliptin (70 mg/kg), quercetin (50 mg/kg) or their combination daily for three consecutive weeks. Serum levels of glucose, C-peptide, total cholesterol, triglycerides, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase, (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), tumor necrosis factor alpha, (TNF-α), nuclear factor kappa-B, (NF-κB) and adiponectin were estimated. In addition, histopathological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical examinations of pancreatic tissues were conducted. RESULTS: The combined administration of quercetin and sitagliptin normalized serum C-peptide, MDA, and significantly increased SOD, GSH and decreased NF-κB more than sitagliptin alone. Moreover, this combination normalized Islet number, β-cells' number, area and perimeter alongside restoring the immunostaining intensity of β-cells. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the use of quercetin/sitagliptin combination for treating DM based on the observed improvements in glycemic control, metabolic profile, oxidative and inflammatory status, islet structure as well as β-cells function compared with either treatment alone.
BACKGROUND: Since many diabeticpatients require combination therapy, the use of herbal remedies with anti-diabetic activity represents a vital option in diabetes mellitus (DM) management. It has been reported that quercetin has hypoglycemic alongside anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. AIM: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of combining quercetin with sitagliptin; a selective dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor, in the management of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabeticrats. METHODS:DM was induced by a single injection of STZ (45 mg/kg, i.p.) in male adult albino Wistar rats. Diabeticrats were orally treated with sitagliptin (70 mg/kg), quercetin (50 mg/kg) or their combination daily for three consecutive weeks. Serum levels of glucose, C-peptide, total cholesterol, triglycerides, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase, (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), tumor necrosis factor alpha, (TNF-α), nuclear factor kappa-B, (NF-κB) and adiponectin were estimated. In addition, histopathological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical examinations of pancreatic tissues were conducted. RESULTS: The combined administration of quercetin and sitagliptin normalized serum C-peptide, MDA, and significantly increased SOD, GSH and decreased NF-κB more than sitagliptin alone. Moreover, this combination normalized Islet number, β-cells' number, area and perimeter alongside restoring the immunostaining intensity of β-cells. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the use of quercetin/sitagliptin combination for treating DM based on the observed improvements in glycemic control, metabolic profile, oxidative and inflammatory status, islet structure as well as β-cells function compared with either treatment alone.