Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose levels. Enoxaparin is low molecular weight heparin with anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic actions. Swertiamarin is secoiridoid glycoside with hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Aim of the Work: To evaluate the effect of enoxaparin and swertiamarin on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM using histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical techniques.
Materials and Methods: Seventy Wistar rats (10-12 weeks) weighing 120-150 gram divided into 2 main groups. Group 1 (control: 55 rats) and group 2 (STZ-induced DM: 55 rats): Diabetes mellitus induced by 50 mg/kg STZ single dose intraperitoneal; only 40 rats became diabetic and subdivided into 4 equal subgroups. Subgroup 2a (STZ): left without treatment, subgroup 2b (STZ+Enoxaparin): treated with enoxaparin 2 mg/kg/day subcutaneously for 3 weeks, subgroup 2c (STZ+Swertiamrin): treated with swertiamarin 50 mg/kg/day orally for 3 weeks and subgroup 2d (STZ+Enoxaparin+Swertiamarin): treated with enoxaparin and swertiamarin as previous doses and period.
Results: Subgroup 2a (STZ) showed decreased body & pancreas weight and ratio, increased blood glucose level, plasma HbA1c%, total cholesterol, TGs, LDL and decreased HDL, reduced tissue SOD & GSH, elevated tissue MDA, TNF-α & IL-6. Congested dilated blood capillaries, β& α cell cytoplasmic vacuolations & nuclear pyknosis by H&E, increased collagen area percentage, HSP60 color intensity & decreased PCNA percentage were detected. Treated subgroups (2b,2c,2d) showed marked amelioration of previously reported results especially in subgroup 2d.
Conclusion: Combined use of enoxaparin and swertiamarin showed the best results in improvement of biochemical and structural changes on islet cells of the pancreas in type 2 diabetes mellitus in rats than their separate use.