Evaluation of the Effects of Zn/Mg Supplemented Diet as Adjuvant Therapy with Glibenclamide on Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), a metabolic disorder mainly characterized by hyperglycemia, causes the damage of various organs, including the eyes, liver, kidney and heart. It is evident that diet plays a key role in the management of DM. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zn and Mg supplemented diets as an adjuvant therapy with glibenclamide on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The rats which showed a blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher after 48 h of STZ injection were considered as diabetic. The rats were divided into eight groups in which the normal control group comprised non-diabetic rats, whereas the rest of the groups had diabetic rats in which glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) with an ordinary diet was given to the positive control group while the test groups were treated with glibenclamide along with specific diets. Blood glucose, body weight and lipid profile, as well as the liver and kidney functions were evaluated using standard kits after a certain interval up to 21 days. Results: Glibenclamide at different doses with or without Zn and Mg significantly decreased blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine, total bilirubin and LDL levels, whereas it increased the HDL level. The study revealed glibenclamide together with Zn and Mg-rich diet to provide the most significant (p <0.0001) results. Conclusion: The treatment of diabetes mellitus with glibenclamide can provide better results if it is used with Zn and Mg-rich diet, which can prove to be a potential adjuvant therapy for type-2 diabetes and its associated complications.