Cardio- and Hepatoprotective Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide in a High-Fat Diet and Low-Dose Streptozotocin-Induced Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) is the third most crucial gas that is produced inside the body, and at physiological levels, it increases a wide range of health properties, such as anti-inflammatory antioxidant effects. Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating the impact of H2 S administration on oxidative stress (OS) in the heart and liver tissues of diabetic rats. Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely, the healthy control group, the diabetic group, and diabetic groups treated with 50 µM/kg and 100 µM/kg of H2 S. After 60 days of treatment, the animals were sacrificed, and biochemical and OS markers were determined using colorimeter methods. In addition, the liver tissue underwent histological assessment. Results: The findings revealed that H2 S controlled the weight of rats and significantly decreased fasting blood sugar (FBS) in the treatment group with a dose of 50 µM/kg and 100 µM/kg (P<0.05) compared to the diabetic animals. Further, insulin concentration and insulin resistance in the H2 S 100 µM/kg group decreased in comparison to the diabetic group (P<0.05). The levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, atherogenic index, and low-density lipoprotein in H2 S-treated animals were markedly lower than in the diabetic group (P<0.05). The results of OS parameters demonstrated that H2 S 100 µM/kg reduced the malondialdehyde in the heart tissue compared to the diabetic group (P<0.05). The histological assessment also confirmed the effectiveness of H2 S in improving liver morphology and parenchymal structure. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, H2 S can be considered a suitable therapeutic agent to prevent diabetes complications.

Keywords

• diabetes mellitus
• hydrogen sulfide
• oxidative stress
• heart
• liver