Vanillin improves glucose homeostasis and modulates metabolic activities linked to type 2 diabetes in fructose–streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Abstract

Objective

This study investigated the antidiabetic effect of vanillin using in vitro, in silico, and in vivo experimental models.

Methodology

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was induced in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using fructose–streptozotocin (STZ), then orally administered low (150 mg/kg bodyweight) or high (300 mg/kg bodyweight) dose of vanillin for 5 weeks intervention period.

Results

Vanillin suppressed the levels of blood glucose, serum cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatinine, urea, uric acid, when elevated serum insulin, HDL-cholesterol, and concomitantly improved pancreatic β-cell function, glucose tolerance, and pancreatic morphology. It also elevated both serum and pancreatic tissue GSH level, SOD and catalase activities, and hepatic glycogen level, while depleting malondialdehyde level, α-amylase, lipase, acetylcholinesterase, ATPase, ENTPDase and 5′-nucleotidase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and glycogen phosphorylase activities.

Conclusions

The results indicate the potent antidiabetic effect of vanillin against T2D and its associated complications.

Keywords:

• Antioxidative
• dyslipidaemia
• hyperglycaemia
• type 2 diabetes
• vanillin

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest relating to this work.

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the Research office, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, and the National Research Foundation – the World Academy of Science (NRF-TWAS), Pretoria, South Africa [Grant No: 116106].