The Use of Natural Compounds as a Strategy to Counteract Oxidative Stress in Animal Models of Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterised by insulin deficiency, resulting in hyperglycaemia, a characteristic symptom of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). DM substantially affects numerous metabolic pathways, resulting in β-cell dysfunction, insulin resistance, abnormal blood glucose levels, impaired lipid metabolism, inflammatory processes, and excessive oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can affect the body's normal physiological function and cause numerous cellular and molecular changes, such as mitochondrial dysfunction. Animal models are useful for exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms of DM and improving novel therapeutics for their safe use in human beings. Due to their health benefits, there is significant interest in a wide range of natural compounds that can act as naturally occurring anti-diabetic compounds. Due to rodent models' relatively similar physiology to humans and ease of handling and housing, they are widely used as pre-clinical models for studying several metabolic disorders. In this review, we analyse the currently available rodent animal models of DM and their advantages and disadvantages and highlight the potential anti-oxidative effects of natural compounds and their mechanisms of action.

Keywords: animal model; diabetes mellitus; natural compounds; neuroprotection; oxidative stress.

Figure 1

Protective effects of various natural compounds in animal DM models. Natural compounds prevented hyperglycaemia, ROS production, and neuronal injury; increased insulin secretion and antioxidant enzymes; and improved mitochondrial function, learning, memory, and lipid metabolism, among others.