Abstract
Zinc plays an important role in the biosynthesis and storage of insulin. Consequently, its deficiency may have a deleterious impact on the progression of diabetes and its associated consequences. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of hawthorn Crataegus azarolus on blood biochemical parameters, tissue zinc status, and oxidative stress biomarkers in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed a zinc-insufficient diet. Thirty-two male albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups: two groups were fed a zinc-sufficient diet (one non-diabetic and the other diabetic), while the other two groups of diabetic rats were fed a zinc-insufficient diet. One group was not treated, and the other was treated with an extract of Crataegus azarolus (150 mg/kg body weight). Body weight and food intake were regularly recorded. After 4 weeks of dietary manipulation, the fasting animals were sacrificed. Zinc-deficient feed decreased body weight, insulin, and tissue zinc levels (in the femur, liver, kidney, and pancreas), as well as glutathione concentrations, lactic dehydrogenase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activities. It was also noted that inadequate dietary zinc intake increased concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, uric acid, creatinine, lipid peroxidation levels, and transaminase activities. However, oral administration of hawthorn extract was observed to improve all of the previously mentioned parameters, bringing them approximately back to their normal levels. The present study showed that Crataegus azarolus supplementation, presumably acting as an antioxidant, can be a natural source for reducing the development of diabetes caused by zinc deficiency.
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Data availability
All data underlying the reported findings are available in a publicly accessible repository. The data presented in this study are openly available in Research Square at https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2262461/v1.
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Acknowledgements
The authors express their gratitude to the Algiers Pasteur Institute for providing the rats used in this study and to ONAB EL-Harouch in Skikda, Algeria, for their assistance with diet component supplementation. Their contributions were essential to the successful completion of this research project.
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This research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Algeria (Grant Number: D01N01UN230120190003).
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Triki, R., Boughediri, K., Chelaghmia, M.L. et al. The therapeutic potential of “Crataegus azarolus” on zinc, lipid profile, and antioxidant status in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with zinc-deficient diet. Comp Clin Pathol 33, 7–19 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-023-03517-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-023-03517-7