Investigating the Protective Effects of a Rhenium (V) Compound with Uracil-Derived Ligands on Liver Damage Associated with Prediabetes in Diet-Induced Prediabetic Rats
Angezwa Siboto,
Akinjide Moses Akinnuga,
Muhammed Bilaal Ismail,
Irvin Noel Booysen,
Ntethelelo Hopewell Sibiya,
Phikelelani Ngubane,
Andile Khathi
Affiliations
Angezwa Siboto
School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
Akinjide Moses Akinnuga
School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
Muhammed Bilaal Ismail
School of Chemistry and Physics, College of Agriculture, Engineering Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
Irvin Noel Booysen
School of Chemistry and Physics, College of Agriculture, Engineering Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
Ntethelelo Hopewell Sibiya
Pharmacology Division, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
Phikelelani Ngubane
School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
Andile Khathi
School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000, South Africa
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with prediabetes and can be treated by using a combination of metformin and dietary modification. However, people often fail to adhere to dietary modifications and become more dependent on pharmaceutical intervention, and this affects the effectiveness of the drug. In this study, we investigated the effects of rhenium (V) compound with uracil-derived ligands on liver health in diet-induced prediabetic rats in both the presence and absence of dietary modification. Prediabetic male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with the rhenium (V) compound for 12 weeks in both the presence and absence of dietary modification while monitoring fasting blood glucose levels. Antioxidant enzyme activity, inflammation markers and liver enzymes were measured together with liver glycogen and plasma triglycerides after sacrificing. The administration of rhenium (V) compound to prediabetic rats in both the presence and absence of dietary modification resulted in reduced concentrations of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides. There was also reduced liver glycogen, oxidative stress and liver enzymes while increasing antioxidant enzymes. Altogether, the rhenium (V) compound ameliorated liver injury and prevented hepatotoxicity.
