Assessment of anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives in HFD-STZ diabetic animal model

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic endocrine/metabolic disorder characterized by elevated postprandial and fasting glycemic levels that result in disturbances in primary metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the metabolic effects of thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives in Wistar rats and Swiss mice that were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 weeks and received 90 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally as a T2DM model. The HFD consisted of 17% carbohydrate, 58% fat, and 25% protein, as a percentage of total kcal. The thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives treatments reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels by an average of 23.98%–50.84%, which were also improved during the oral starch tolerance test (OSTT). Treatment with thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives also improved triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and total cholesterol levels (P < 0.05). The treatment intake has also shown a significant effect to modulate the altered hepatic and renal biomarkers. Further treatment with thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives for 28 days significantly ameliorated changes in appearance and metabolic risk factors, including favorable changes in histopathology of the liver, kidney, and pancreas compared with the HFD/STZ-treated group, suggesting its potential role in the management of diabetes. Thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives are a class of drugs that act as insulin sensitizers by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ), a nuclear receptor that regulates glucose and lipid metabolism. The results of this study suggest that thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives may be a promising treatment option for T2DM by improving glycemic control, lipid metabolism, and renal and hepatic function.