Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a worldwide health problem affecting a population of different ages, which inflicts a large economic load on the worldwide health-care system. This disease is mostly characterized by hyperglycemia which causes deleterious effects on both the macro- and microvasculature. Pharmacological treatment includes many drugs with different mechanisms of action. These drugs aim to control the hyperglycemic state and subsequently may protect the vessels from its deleterious effect.
Aim of the Work: The aim of our study is to compare the potential protective effect of three of these antidiabetic drugs; Acarbose, Linagliptin and Quercetin, on the aorta of type 2 diabetes mellitus rat model.
Materials and Methods: Forty male albino rats were divided into 5 groups. Two control groups; normal control group (normal group) and diabetic control group (DM group). Diabetes was induced by feeding rats with high-fat diet (HFD) for 2 weeks followed by a single dose Streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Three diabetic groups received different treatments; diabetic group treated with Acarbose (DM+AC group), diabetic group treated with Linagliptin (DM+LN group) and diabetic group treated with Quercetin (DM+QR group). Blood samples were taken for biochemical evaluation and specimens of the aorta were taken for histological and morphometric analysis.
Results: Diabetic group showed histological findings recorded in atherosclerotic aorta. The three tested antidiabetic drugs Acarbose, Linagliptin and Quercetin, showed an ameliorative effect on the structure of the aorta but no noticeable differences were recorded.
Conclusion: Our study revealed that the changes produced in the structure of the aorta of the diabetic group were ameliorated in the groups received the three drugs with no noticeable differences between them.