ABSTRACT

Objective: To test the ability of both zinc oxide (ZnONPs) and silver (SNPs) nanoparticles to ameliorate the oxidative stress resulting from diabetes in diabetic rats.

Methods: Fifty male albino rats were randomly used: 10 served as a control and 40 rats were injected with single dose (100 mg/kg) of streptozotocin (STZ) intraperitoneally. They were subdivided into untreated diabetic, + ZnONPs, diabetic + SNPs, and diabetic + insulin. The activities and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), cata lase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GRD) were determined in the brain tissues. Malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), zinc (Zn) and silver (Ag) concentrations were estimated in the brain tissues of all rats.

Results: A significant increase in the activities and mRNA expression levels of SOD, CAT, GPx and GRD was shown. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly decreased where there was a significant increase in the Zn, Ag and TAC in the brain of ZnONP- and SNP-treated rats, when compared with diabetic or diabetic + insulin and their control.

Conclusion: Both ZnONPs and SNPs can be used to ameliorate the oxidative stress in the brain resulting from diabetes mellitus.