title: A comparative study on effect of metformin and metformin-conjugated nanotubes on blood glucose homeostasis in diabetic rats.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent metabolic disorders. Carbon nanotubes have the advantage to cross the plasma membrane without damaging the cells, improving the biological effect of a drug and reducing its side effects. In the present study, the effect of metformin and metformin-conjugated nanotubes was investigated on blood glucose level in the streptozotocin-induced male diabetic rats. Diabetes in the animals was induced with a single dose of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg; i.p.) and after 3 days the blood glucose was analyzed. Animals showing fasting blood glucose higher than 250 mg/dL were considered as diabetic rats. The animals were treated with metformin and metformin-conjugated nanotubes (150 mg/kg; p.o.) daily and every 48-h for 1 week. Changes in animals' serum blood glucose level were evaluated daily during the treatment period. The results of this study showed that metformin reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic animals. Metformin-conjugated nanotubes significantly reduced the blood glucose levels in diabetic rats (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in blood glucose level between metformin and metformin-conjugated nanotubes groups (p > 0.05). However, when both formulations of metformin were administered every 48-h, metformin-conjugated nanotubes reduced glycaemia for a longer time than metformin alone (p < 0.001). This study showed that the metformin-conjugated nanotubes would be able to reduce the blood glucose, prolong drug delivery and efficacy duration in animals which were treated with metformin-conjugated nanotubes compared with metformin alone.
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran, mirazi@basu.ac.ir.
authors: Naser
authors: N
authors: Mirazi
authors: Jamileh
authors: J
authors: Shoaei
authors: Ardeshir
authors: A
authors: Khazaei
authors: Abdolkarim
authors: A
authors: Hosseini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043942:Nanotubes; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013311:Streptozocin; D008687:Metformin