Dictamnine Reduces Gestational Diabetic Complications in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Pregnant Rats via Regulating Inflammation and NOX-2, MCP-1/AGE–RAGE Pathway

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a type of diabetes that arises during pregnancy. Around 15–25% of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes mellitus, which involves hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and abnormal fetal development. The present work was conducted to reveal the therapeutic potentials of dictamnine against streptozotocin-induced gestational diabetes mellitus in rats. To induce gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnant rats were administered the streptozotocin, and subsequently, the gestational diabetes mellitus rats were given dictamnine for 14 days. Following the end of treatments, the body weight, blood glucose, and fetus and placental weights were measured. The concentrations of biochemical markers, including fasting insulin, HbA1c, and hepatic glycogen, were analyzed. The lipid profiles, antioxidant levels, apoptotic proteins, and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured using the test kits. A histopathological investigation was conducted on the pancreatic tissues obtained from the experimental rats. Dictamnine treatment at concentrations of 15 and 30 mg/kg successfully reduced glucose levels, increased body weight, and regulated insulin and other biochemical marker levels in rats with gestational diabetes mellitus. The treatment of dictamnine resulted in an increase in the antioxidant levels, successfully lowered the lipid markers in the rats with gestational diabetes mellitus. The treatment with dictamnine also reduced the inflammatory cytokines, apoptotic proteins, and other molecular markers in the gestational diabetes mellitus rats. The histological study of pancreatic tissues likewise confirmed the therapeutic capabilities of dictamnine. The results of the current study emphasize that dictamnine has a positive effect on reducing gestational diabetes mellitus in rats. Graphical Abstract