Co-administration of metformin and vitamin C or E in improves diabetes prognosis in streptozotocin-induced diabetes rats

Adaeze Uchendu; Eric Omogbai

doi:10.54117/jcbr.v3i2.1

Authors

Adaeze Uchendu University of Benin
Prof 1Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54117/jcbr.v3i2.1

Keywords:

diabetes mellitus, oxidative stress, semen analysis, metformin, vitamin C, vitamin E

Abstract

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has increased astronomically in recent years. This has resulted in increased disease adjusted life years (DALYs), mortality and decrease in life expectancy. Some of the fall outs of diabetic disease in patients include hyperlipidaemia, oxidative stress, renal and hepatic dysfunction. This study investigated the combined effects of metformin with either vitamin C or E on hyperglycemia-induced hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress, renal and hepatic dysfunction.

Diabetes mellitus was induced in the animals fasted overnight with a single dose of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Animals with fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels >200 mg/dl after 48 hours of streptozotocin administration were marked diabetic and were randomly grouped into 6 groups of 5 diabetic rats each. Treatments were administered orally once daily for two weeks. FBG levels, and other parameters were determined.

The results showed that the various treatments significantly and comparably reduced the FBG levels on both day 7 (p<0.05, P<0.01) and day 14 (p<0.001). All the treatments significantly reduced hyperglycemia-induced increase in the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine and malondialdehyde (MDA). The antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSH), and catalase (CAT) was enhanced by the combined effects of metformin and vitamin C or E. Vitamin E and combination of metformin and vitamin E did not prevent diabetes induced-weight loss throughout the study compared to diabetic control.

The findings have demonstrated that metformin and vitamin C co-administration exhibits synergistic effects on blood glucose lowering effect, antioxidant activity and potential advantage of preventing multi-organ damaging effects of type 2 diabetes.