The Effect of Herniarin on Oxidative Stress in the Hippocampus in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes increases the risk of central nervous system disorders such as stroke, seizures, dementia, and cognitive impairment. The herniarin has a phenolic compound and it is a powerful antioxidant whose efficacy has been reported in neurodegenerative disorders in recent studies. Moreover, it has been shown that hyperglycemia induces spontaneous oxidation of glucose through enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes, leading to oxidative stress by stimulating the production of active oxygen and nitrogen components. In this study, 40 male Wistar rats were randomly selected and divided into four groups: control, diabetic, and diabetic treated with 150 and 300 mg/kg hernia. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 60 mg/kg. One week after streptozotocin injection, treatment with herniarin at 300 and 150 mg/kg was performed orally for two weeks. Blood glucose was measured after STZ injection by blood sampling from the caudal vein. Lipid peroxidation, thiol levels, and glutathione peroxidase activity were measured as indicators of oxidative stress in the hippocampus. Finally, the data of the groups were analyzed using SPSS statistical software and one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests. After induction of diabetes, an increase in lipid peroxidation, a decrease in thiol, and a decrease in glutathione peroxidase activity was observed in the hippocampus of diabetic rats compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Daily doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg Herniarin improved oxidative stress in the brains of diabetic rats. The present study showed that treatment with herniarin significantly reduced oxidative stress in the hippocampus of STZ diabetic rats.