Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles on diabetes development and complications in diabetic rats compared to conventional zinc sulfate and metformin

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder with numerous secondary complications. Herein, the effect of zinc oxide-nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), zinc sulfate-traditional form (ZnSO4-TF) and metformin on the progression of diabetes and its secondary complications in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were evaluated. To achieve that, fifty male Wistar rats divided into five groups (10/each). The control group (GI) was untreated with STZ. The other groups received a single intraperitoneal dose of STZ (60 mg/kg/body weight (b.wt)) to induce diabetes. They were divided as follows: diabetic rats that did not receive treatment were (GII), while GIII, IV, and V were diabetic rats that received a daily single oral dose via gavage for four weeks of metformin (100 mg/kg b.wt), ZnSO4-TF (10 mg of Zn/kg b.wt), and ZnO-NPs (5 mg of Zn/kg b.wt), respectively. The fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin resistance, lipid profile, tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) levels, and liver, kidney, and heart functions were investigated. Histopathological examination of the liver, pancreas, and kidneys was performed. The results revealed a reduction in final-FBG levels in GIII, GIV, and GV by 35.1%, 26.8%, and 29.8%, respectively, while insulin levels increased by 38.3%, 32.1%, and 31.3%, respectively, compared with GII. Also, the liver, kidney, and heart functions, as well as most lipid profiles in the ZnO-NPs and ZnSO4-TF groups was improved compared with GII and were further validated by histopathological analysis. In conclusion, the results illustrated that ZnO-NPs exert the same effect of ZnSO4-TF in improving diabetes but at half dose and without inducing toxicity. •ZnO-NPs to prevent the progression of diabetes.•Improvement in serum insulin, by using ZnO-NPs and ZnSO4.•ZnO-NPs exerted their effect at half the dose of ZnSO4.•ZnO-NPs and ZnSO4 could alleviate the harmful effects of diabetic in rats.